Oh, it’s snowy, grey February. And we’ve got six more weeks of winter. Sigh.

Now is the time to make yourself a cup of tea. Now is the time to listen to some Morrissey. And, perhaps, now is the time to read IBISWorld’s Recession Updates.

The always impressive industry analysts at IBISWorld have created “Recession Updates” for all its 700 industry guides. The updates are short, and to-the-point, less than a page in length. For anyone researching particular industries, these short-term snapshots will be very useful. Each industry is given a rating as to the impact the recession will have on it. Ratings range from NOT AFFECTED (in the case of chocolate manufacturing and flour milling, for examples) to DISASTER (in the case of commercial banking and bowling alleys).

If you are feeling particularly melancholy, you may also want to check out IBISWorld’s macroeconomic briefing paper about the US recession. Economic Crisis: When Will It End? was written by IBISWorld’s chief economists along with its industry analysts. It’s a terrific 14-page overview on the effects of this recession on US industries.

You can find IBISWorld by searching for this database in the blue search book at www.library.drexel.edu.

* Originally published on Febrary 6, 2009. For business research tips & tricks in real-time, subscribe to LIB-BIZ-KIT .