Ask About Business

Neil MacInnes

Head of Manchester Libraries,

Information & Archives

• Early recognition by heads of service of the role of

libraries in supporting enterprise, but also that enquiries

can be complex & time-consuming.

• Attempt to balance staffing & resource restrictions with

need to satisfy customer demand.

• Developed with the support of heads of service across

Greater Manchester, Blackburn with Darwen &

Blackpool

• A sub-regional, subscription based business information

service

• Lead by Manchester Libraries, Information & Archives

• Commenced Spring 2008

• Lancashire joined in 2011

Ask About Business

Development:

• Entrepreneurs, small businesses & microbusinesses use

libraries & their resources to plan their businesses, find

financial resources, and ultimately increase employment

and prosperity in their communities.

• Libraries support jobseekers:

Unemployed & low skilled customers use libraries to

prepare for the workforce and to find employment.

Ask About Business

Rationale:

Ask About Business

Economic background:

• Combined population of the members: 4,418,7000

(including Blackburn & Darwen, Blackpool, & Lancs)

• Largest economic and financial sub-region outside of the South East.

• Around 40% of the North West’s Top 500 Companies are based in GM

• Key sectors include the service, public and knowledge-based sectors,

& a significant manufacturing base.

• % of Self-employed: Greater Manchester 7.7% (National average 9.2%)

• Over half of the very highest Index of Multiple Deprivation ranks

(1% of areas) are in the North West

Ask About Business

Engagement Objectives

To offer a sub-regional business information service that supports:

• Start up & microbusinesses

• Jobseekers

• Consumers

• Business students

• Inventors

• Social enterprises

• Existing businesses

Ask About Business

Benefits to Customers

• A reliable and comprehensive business

service available at a local level

• Better access to information to empower

and support personal aspirations including

jobseeking, business start up and

consumer issues

• Additional resources delivered online

• Meets expectations of a modern

information service, including professional

branding and marketing

Ask About Business

Benefits to partner authorities

• High quality service with better access to a wider range of

resources

• Improved value for money by joint marketing & purchasing of

resources

• Increased staff knowledge, leading to better customer service

• Increased visibility with other agencies and a higher profile within

the authority and region

• Demonstrates contribution to economic viability at a local level

• Access to a wide range of resources for those authorities

currently unable to offer such provision

• Budget savings on resources

Ask About Business

Why libraries?

• Enhances our role in a larger business support network

• Unique in the sub-region given the number of libraries, opening hours,

& size of membership.

• Instant network across the sub-region: over 150 libraries

• Community libraries are shop fronts of the service

• Allows delivery at local level

• Encourages take up by new business customers

Ask About Business

Service Delivery Model

Hub and spoke approach

Manchester Central Library is the hub co-ordinating and delivering:

– Business enquiry support

– IP support

– Dedicated website (www.askaboutbusiness.org)

– Online resources, such as COBRA

– Training

– Marketing and branding

• By phone & email

• Dedicated business team in Central Library

• Some access to industry-standard info resources

e.g. market research, company info, etc.

• Delivers specialist information at local level

e.g. intellectual property

• Local staff & customers can confidently expect quality

response

Ask About Business

Business enquiry support

askaboutbusiness.org

• Links to COBRA & other business resources inc free business plan

• Authorities can include local content on their own pages

• Events listings for members

• Approx 40,000 hits a year

• Instant business service from an industry standard resource

• Available 24/7

• Accessible and easy-to-understand for target customer base

• Consistent offer across the sub-region

• A saving of over £30,000 across member authorities

• 8,000 reports downloaded in last 15 months

The Hub: Manchester Central Library

• A Transformed Venue

• £50 million refurbishment

• Commitment to the city’s business &

enterprise sectors

• Commercial Library since 1919

• A Patlib (patent library)

• One of the largest collections of

business & IP information available to

the public in the UK

• Now featuring a Business & IP Centre

Business & IP Centre Manchester

• A partnership with the British Library

• One of six cities in a national network (Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle & Birmingham)

• Launched June 2014

A one stop shop approach to start ups & small businesses:

• Information

• Advice

• Workshops & networking events

BIPC Manchester

Services include:

• Free access to industry standard business

& market research

• Start up advice

• Monthly Patent and IP Clinics

• Manchester Inventors Group

• Inspiring Entrepreneurs events

• Information surgeries

• Digital drop ins

• Innovator in Residence: Russell Clifton

Russell Clifton: Ruk Bug

Innovator in Residence

• Researched his idea for a new type of pushchair using the patents & business info available in Central Library

• Attended a Patent Clinic

• Joined Manchester Inventors Group

• Product is going to market

• Expects to employ up to 40 people

• In 2013 gained £250,000 from the

GM Investment Fund

• Became our Innovator in Residence in June

Ask About Business members get

access to events & activities in

Central Library

Not just for business:

Central Library Work Club

• Regularly attracts over 25 people

per session

• Developed in partnership with

Economic Development

• Delivered by Pertemps and other

partners

Central Library Demonstrator

• Exciting addition to business

services

• Demonstrating the benefits of

superfast broadband to SMEs &

start ups

• Funded by BDUK

• High profile project for MCC:

recognition of libraries role in

reaching and supporting SMEs

across the city

Central Library Demonstrator

Advice sessions and workshops including:

• Cloud computing

• Social media for business

• Using online tools to improve efficiency

& communication

Also offers the chance to get hands on with

the latest communications technology

including:

• State of the art videoconferencing

• 4K video camera and TVs

• Google Glass

• 3D printing

AAB & Start Up Engines

• One of ten national Enterprising Libraries awards

funded by DCLG & Arts Council England

• Greater Manchester based, but all members of AAB

benefit

• Taps into the established Ask About Business network

and builds on existing relationships

3 elements:

• Access to information - “Flatpack”

• Access to experts - Events

• Access to peer-to-peer support - Online communities

Start Up Engines

Access to information - Flatpack

• How to guides

• Resources, websites & contacts

• Free web tools & apps

• Links to resources available at the Manchester

BIPC

• Event plans & promotional tools

• Case study templates

• Plans & guides for creating online communities

Start Up Engines

Access to experts - Events

• 5 quality events per authority

• Running until March 2015

• Bank of speakers and experts established

• Includes local start ups as inspirational role

models

• Target of 1500 attendees across project

lifetime

Start Up Engines:

Access to peer-to-peer support

• Minimum of 10 online communities

created

• Social networking guides &

templates

• Content strategy ideas

• Providing accessible & informal

space for groups to meet

• Helps entrepreneurs find like

minded people, exchange ideas and

support each other

Start Up Engines

Success to date

• First events successfully completed: Starting Up As A Market Trader

• Flatpack is available on the Ask About Business website

• Online communities being created

• Relationships between local Economic Development sections and

library services have significantly developed

• Impacting on perceptions of libraries supporting local enterprise with

appropriate agencies

• Excellent feedback from first events:

“Has inspired me to look into starting my own business!”

• Made possible because of the established AAB service

Ask About Business

Success:

• Productive partnership working across the members

• Achieved savings for individual authorities

• Sharing of best practice

• Positioned libraries as “enterprise enablers”

• Facilitated additional projects within the service

e.g. Start Up Engines