Our bank is looking for a software tool to manage our stock offerings and portfolio. Can you provide a list of appropriate vendors? What’s the latest on the Gramm Leach Bliley Act? Who are the key stakeholders, and what are their positions? Is there a way to design an optimal liquidity policy? We need to upgrade our internal audit function. Can we access best practices and other sources of advice? We’re looking to expand into a new market area. What are our best options?

These are among the many questions Seattle Bank members have posed to our Library services team. In fact, our members use a variety of our Library services and resources to get the information they need to support their business operations and strategic planning.

Why wouldn’t they? The information is current and relevant, and the service is provided at no cost to Seattle Bank members.

Individualized Research Services
The most popular among these services is our individualized research service. Seattle Bank members simply submit their question to our librarians, who use sources such as Factiva, Lexis Nexis, and a variety of other information providers to find answers. Are you looking for best practices in implementing Sarbox, records retention policy development, and regulatory compliance? Our individualized research service can provide the information you need.

Demographic and consumer behavior data is another frequently requested item. Seattle Bank members determine their geographic areas of interest, which can range from a single city to multiple counties or states. Our librarians use Claritas software to generate demographic data that can answer questions such as:

	What are the top financial products and services used by consumers in a particular market? Which products and services are their key competitors?
	What types of households and commercial enterprises do business in your market? Who are potential customers for particular products?

Book borrowing and immediate search assistance are fundamental to any good corporate library center, and the Seattle Bank Library is no exception. These services provide customers with fast access to reliable information that can otherwise be time-consuming to find.

Direct Access to Information Online

	WebCat, the Library’s online catalog, provides self-service access to over 2,500 books available for borrowing from the Seattle Bank Library.
	Banking Information Sources (BIS) is an online database that helps our members quickly locate the information they need from 436 financial magazines and trade papers.
	The Link is the Seattle Bank Library’s monthly online newsletter. It provides reports on new books available from the Library and covers critical, industry-related issues. Members download an average of 160 articles monthly from the Link and Banking Information Sources.

How do you know our materials will meet your needs?
The Library develops and expands its print and online collection based on the annual priorities of the financial services sector’s major trade associations and regulatory agencies. In this way, we ensure that our resources most accurately reflect the concerns and issues faced by our members in running their financial institutions.

For more information about the Seattle Bank Library or to access our online services, please contact Nola Sterling at 206.340.8746 or Kim Gregor at 206.340.8745.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER, PLEASE READ: The Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle ("Seattle Bank") publishes What Counts for educational and promotional purposes only. The data and analysis presented are based upon information obtained from sources that we consider reliable. The opinions expressed represent the current opinions of our staff and are subject to change without notice. We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of any information, analysis, or opinions presented. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the Seattle Bank. The Seattle Bank, its employees, agents, and contractors are not registered investment advisors, financial advisors, or broker dealers, and they are not acting in a fiduciary capacity. The information contained in this newsletter does not constitute a recommendation, offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to purchase any particular investments or products, including without limitation securities of any companies discussed, and it should not be construed as such. It is the reader’s responsibility to evaluate the suitability, risks, and merits of any investment, funding strategy, or business proposal presented in this newsletter. Newsletter content is for our readers' informational purposes only. Please refer to our Terms of Use for details.