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Grow Your Business Community How to Attract and Serve Small Business at Your Library

Grow Your Business Community How to Attract and Serve Small Business at Your Library. Stephen Fadel and Sonya Durney. Benefits to the Library. • greater visibility and stature among the business community and local government • contribute to the viability and growth of your town

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Grow Your Business Community How to Attract and Serve Small Business at Your Library

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  1. Grow Your Business Community How to Attract and Serve Small Business at Your Library Stephen Fadel and Sonya Durney

  2. Benefits to the Library • 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)

  3. STEPHEN Popular questions Key resources Past failures and a few successes

  4. SONYA Getting up to speed Awareness of business community needs Community outreach

  5. GETTING UP TO SPEED Continuing Education (Business Reference) • Simmons College • ALA • SCORE, Women’s Development Center (small fee) • Online FreeWorkshops (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)

  6. AWARENESS OF NEEDS Survey results Follow the local business community Keep an eye on innovative libraries

  7. SURVEY RESULTS https://www.surveymonkey.com/sr.aspx?sm=XWG3ILZwetztkm5Y_2fzFyFk4OvYN_2bycuq9mto4f_2fCK1c_3d

  8. KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE... Mainebiz and Portland Press Herald Social Networking • LinkedIn (join groups, add to discussions, post programming) • Facebook (follow local businesses) • Twitter (follow local businesses) City Council Minutes (link from library webpage) National/internationalbusiness coverage • Fast Company • Bloomberg Business Week • Business blogs • Customized homepage (widgets)

  9. Utilize Social Networking –reach people where they are

  10. Customized homepage w/ widgets

  11. LIBRARIES TO WATCH 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 LibraryThe Business and Economics Department Pasco County Libraries (Florida) - e-gov page Santa Clara County Library (California) Somerville Public Library(MA) – legal page

  12. The Cecil County Public Library

  13. SCORESBDCKeyBank Coastal Enterprise Inc. StartSmart Women's Business Development CenterGreater Portland Business Expo (Chamber of Commerce) COMMUNITY OUTREACH

  14. Money Theme

  15. The Business Expo was a Hit!

  16. Small Business Week

  17. Conclusions Build a solid foundation Study the local business landscape Reach out to local business people

  18. “the most important small business resource is no longer labor, capital, or land, but is knowledge. Learning opportunities are the venture capital of the future” - the Small Business Administration

  19. Grow Your Business Community How to Attract and Serve Small Business at Your Library Stephen Fadel and Sonya Durney THANK YOU!

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