[Publib] Value Line vs. Morningstar

[Bruce Brigell]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but Value Line Investment Survey rates
stocks and Morningstar Mutual Funds rates Mutual Funds--So they are not
equivalent. Both are essential those doing investment research as for
some investors individual stocks are the best solution and for others
funds are the answer. [By the way, Value Line also has a mutual fund
product and Morningstar Online covers both stocks and mutual funds].
 
In my experience most people like these services because of the star
ratings. There are many places to get data on funds and stocks, but not
many that rate them in a fairly simple manner. 
 
All that said, if fiscal reality mandates that you drop one, I think
there is a solution.
 
I just checked, and individuals can register for free at morningstar.com
and receive their mutual fund ratings online. I do not see that one can
do this at valueline.com.
 
In light of this, perhaps dropping the print Morningstar product and
directing users to the website would be the best strategy if one product
must be discontinued. 
 
In our experience some of the users who come in for these services are
not comfortable with the online services. In these cases we offer to
print out a particular report for them. If they wish to browse, we
navigate them to the site and give them some basic instructions on how
to use it. 
 
Bruce Brigell
Skokie Public Library

	-----Original Message-----
	From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Steve Standefer
	Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:50 PM
	To: 'Melissa K. Davidson'; publib at webjunction.org
	Subject: RE: [Publib] Value Line vs. Morningstar
	
	

	We dropped Morningstar this year because 1) we get way more
requests for Value Line, 2) Value Line seems more objective because it
does not run its own mutual funds, and 3) most other libraries we know
of prefer Value Line over Morningstar.  

	 

	Is that helpful?

	 

	Steve Standefer

	Mansfield PL

	Mansfield TX

	 

	
________________________________


	From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Melissa K. Davidson
	Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:02 PM
	To: publib at webjunction.org
	Subject: [Publib] Value Line vs. Morningstar

	 

	We get both Morningstar Mutual Funds and Value Line Investment
Survey in paper. Both are costing about $900 a pop this year. I am
thinking of eliminating one (or both) due to budget cuts. Both seem to
get about the same use here.

	 

	If you had to choose one which would you keep? Do you know of
any alternatives where I could direct disappointed patrons?

	 

	Melissa Davidson

	Adult Services Librarian

	Staunton Public Library

	1 Churchville Ave.

	Staunton, VA 24401

	540.332.3902

	www.stauntonlibrary.org
<http://www.staunton.va.us/default.asp?pageid=48BD7E6B-787C-49EE-A7C1-8D
D714653A32> 

	 

	 

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