January 10, 2022 by Natalie Burclaff

The Science, Technology & Business Division is excited to announce the digital collection of Dun’s Reference Book from 1900 to 1924!

In the Business Reference Section, about 20% of the questions we receive are related to locating information on historical businesses. We use a lot of resources to answer these questions: historical newspapers, city directories and telephone books, industry lists, and insurance maps. One useful resource in our tool belt is the Dun & Bradstreet Reference Book, a credit directory, which is why we are thrilled that the volumes from 1900 to 1924 are now available online!

For those who are unfamiliar with this title, it was published starting in 1859 by the Mercantile Agency, part of R.G. Dun & Company. Dun merged with Bradstreet in 1933 and they continued producing these volumes until 2006.

Unlike other kinds of directories, which are often focused on a particular metropolitan area or type of industry, Dun’s Reference Book collection has national coverage and includes “merchants, manufacturers, and traders” in a wide range of industries from the largest cities to the smallest towns across the United States and Canada.

Source: New to the Digital Collections: Dun & Bradstreet | Inside Adams: Science, Technology & Business