Reference at Newman Library

Author: rormsby

Report re bankruptcy that might be requested

Several auditing students have asked for help in finding information aboutNew Century Financial Corporation, a subprime lender that filed for bankruptcy in 2007.

There has also been complaints for fraud brought by the SEC (searchable on the SEC site and also CCH Accounting Research Manager) and also some class action securities litigation, found on the Stanford University securities class action website.

A report by  bankruptcy examiner Missal has been requested.  Although these reports are not usually available full-text, the document was unsealed by the Delaware bankruptcy court and posted on the website of the law firm Missal is associated with.  It runs over 500 pages. An explanation of the report is available.

Assignment to research African-American women inventors

Last night Yvette and I helped a student who said there is an assignment to research African-American women inventors.   She didn’t have any names.

We have books on Madam C. J. Walker, a businesswoman and entrepreneur, whose hair care and beauty products led to great  financial success.  Another resource is a release on important inventions by women from the  US Patent and Trademark office which includes Judy W. Reed and Sarah E. Goode as African-American women who received early patents.  A Google search for African-American women inventors also results in numerous lists  with additional names.

Gotham Gazette introduces Councilpedia

Gotham Gazette, published by Citizens Union Foundation, has created Councilpedia, offering information about members of the New York City Council, bills they sponsor, and contributors to their election campaigns by sector of interest (industries, companies, nonprofits, etc. and individual contributors, who are identified by home address, employer and amount of contribution.)

Edgar Online I-Metrix helps with risk factors and topics of SEC filings

Students are often looking for the risks that a firm is facing.  For publicly traded firms, the 10-K filings and the 10-Q filings made with the SEC are one source.

Edgar Online I-Metrix has now placed the Risk Factors under Company. The source is the most recent quarterly filing.

Also, the Topics may be very helpful to students and faculty looking for information on mergers of a company, earnings, staff increases, etc.

After conducting a search for a company, select Topics under SEC filings.  The full text of the SEC documents are available in which these topics are mentioned.

For advanced searches, select the Search tab, then select topic(s) to be searched, the company or sector, the filings and the time period.  If no company is entered, then all companies will be searched for the selected topic.

Alerts may be set up.

The folders option is set up for all Baruch users so it would be best to save the document in another way to prevent it from being deleted by others.

SDC Platinum issues updates-request made to update reference computers

When I had a question about SDC Platinum from an accounting professor the other day I noticed that there has been an update to SDC Platinum.  It is now version 4 with some updates in December.  I have put in a help desk request to update the reference desk computers and my office computer.  I will alert the faculty to whom I am a liaison of the update and would suggest that others do the same.  The update occurred in the fall and December.

Rita

AAA accounting journals database discontinued

Access to the American Accounting Association (AAA) database of accounting journals has been discontinued through the Newman Library databases.  Mike Waldman removed it from the database list today.

Why was this change made?  Originally, the database was obtained because the AAA started an embargo of one year of their journals on database providers.

However, last year I noticed that this embargo had ended. Most of the journals, including the current issues,  are available on other subscription databases.  The main journals are Accounting Review, Accounting Horizons, and Issues in Accounting Education, all of which are available in a number of our databases.  Many accountancy faculty are AAA members and can access the journals via personal log-ins.  So, without the embargo, and the availability of the journals elsewhere, it seemed like a means to save some funds for other needed purposes.

Jan. 1, 2011 changes to Uniform CPA Exam

Some major changes became effective for the Uniform CPA Exam on Jan. 1, 2011, which is one of the reasons I did the LibGuide.  In my opinion, students should not be using the old review guides, and most have been removed from our collection.  Along with Bisk and Wiley guides in print at reserve, and a CD, available for one day loan, Books24x7 has copies of the 4 Wiley 2011 CPA review volumes.

Libguide on FASB Codification is being revised

The FASB made some minor changes to its webpage about the Codification over the weekend so I will need to revise my guide a bit.

Just to make it clear:

The accountancy department pays for Professional Level access to the FASB Codification for accountancy students and faculty.  Access is by password, obtained only from accountancy faculty.

Everyone can access, if he/she signs up for it, the free Basic View of the Codification on the FASB homepage.  Searching and printing limitations exist.

All Baruch students and faculty have access to the FASB Codification on CCH Accounting Research Manager, which also offers interpretations and examples (nonauthoritative literature.)

Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks, Rita