Grow Your Business

Community

How to Attract and Serve

Small Business at Your Library

Stephen Fadel and Sonya Durney

• greater visibility and stature among the business community and local government

• contribute to the viability and growth of your town

• foster financial support by encouraging the expansion of the local tax base

• enhanced library collections, particularly business resources

• services are expanded to non-traditional users

• increase library donations of money and equipment

• increase library-to-library cooperation through resource sharing

• help businesses and local organizations become better consumers of information

• community soldiers – people who make things happen – learn what libraries need

and fight for them

(Walzer & Gruidl 181; Public Agenda Foundation 12)

Benefits to the

Library

Popular questions

Key resources

Past failures and a few

successes

STEPHEN

Getting up to speed

Awareness of business

community needs

Community outreach

SONYA

Continuing Education (Business Reference)

• Simmons College

• ALA

• SCORE, Women’s Development Center (small fee)

• Online Free Workshops (SBDC)

READ:

• This Book

• SBDC Maine - Business Start Up Checklist

• Starting a Business - Maine.gov

Join BUSLIB-L Listserv

Test drive new products (A-Z Databases, Resume Maker, DemographicsNow)

RUSA BRASS Libguides

Watch screencasts (Chad Boeninger from Ohio University Libraries)

Maine.gov business pages (Business Answers)

Update your promotional materials (business cards, flyers, websites)

Get a PPL Card and learn how to use ReferenceUSA (Useful video)

GETTING UP TO SPEED

Survey results

Follow the local business community

Keep an eye on innovative libraries

AWARENESS OF NEEDS

SURVEY RESULTS

https://www.surveymonkey.com/sr.aspx?sm=XWG3ILZwetztkm5Y_2fz

FyFk4OvYN_2bycuq9mto4f_2fCK1c_3d

Mainebiz and Portland Press Herald

Social Networking

o LinkedIn (join groups, add to discussions, post programming)

o Facebook (follow local businesses)

o Twitter (follow local businesses)

City Council Minutes (link from library webpage)

National/international business coverage

o Fast Company

o Bloomberg Business Week

o Business blogs

o Customized homepage (widgets)

KEEP YOUR FINGER ON

THE PULSE...

Utilize Social Networking –

reach people where they are

Customized homepage w/ widgets

Boston Public Library, Kirstein Business Library

Business and Career Library at the Brooklyn Public Library

Canton Public Library (Michigan)

Cecil County Public Library (Maryland)

Chicago Public LIbrary

George A. Smathers (University of Florida)

Los Angeles Public Library The Business and Economics Department

Pasco County Libraries (Florida) - e-gov page

Santa Clara County Library (California)

Somerville Public Library (MA) – legal page

LIBRARIES TO WATCH

The Cecil County Public Library

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Money Theme

The Business Expo was a Hit!

Small Business Week

Conclusions

Build a solid foundation

Study the local business landscape

Reach out to local business people