Yahoo is a Subject Directory and can be used using keywords. So if I need more information than general country statistics an embassy will refer me. Some of these are my local libraries. San Francisco, Berkeley. I personally spend quite a bit of time in the UC Berkeley Business Library even though I'm not a student there.
Most university libraries allow the public access to their reference books and on-line databases.
While public libraries will have some of the same, I've consistantly found university libraries to be excellent resources in doing business, marketing, and industry research. One Search Engine never does it all. It would be lovely if it did, but it doesn't. In fact, I've gotten search results from one Engine that never even showed up in the next Engine I used. Don't assume that if it's not in one, it's not in all.