Using premium subscription content through NC LIVE & North Carolina libraries Research to Give Your Business The Edge

Objectives At the end of this workshop, you will be able to: Describe NC LIVE & access NC LIVE tools from home or through your library Identify & use at least 3 NC LIVE tools for small business research Find & read business magazines, journals and newspapers, like The Wall Street Journal

Agenda Introductions & Goals What is NC LIVE, anyway? Accessing Online Library Resources Research Using: – Small Business Reference Center – Journals, Magazines & More! (including The Wall Street Journal!) – Hoover’s Online – SimplyMap

Introductions Your Tour Guides this morning are: – Jill Morris, Assistant Director, NC LIVE – Steven Swartz, SimplyMap – Leslie Farison, Appalachian State University (Hoover’s) And you are… – Your Name, Position/Title & SBC location, Your favorite business research tool, What you hope to gain from today’s session

What is NC LIVE? A Consortium of Libraries Working Together 201 Member Libraries – North Carolina Community Colleges – North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities – North Carolina Public Libraries – University of North Carolina System

What is NC LIVE? Since 1998, helping North Carolina libraries in: – Supporting Education – Enhancing Economic Development – Increasing Quality of Life Subscribing to premium online content Providing equitable access to information statewide Providing significant cost savings

What is NC LIVE? eBooks Audio Books Streaming Videos Magazines & Newspapers Research Databases

Accessing NC LIVE Resources It’s FREE It’s the SAME content across the state How: Depends on your library…

Accessing NC LIVE Resources First, visit your library’s website: Embedded in Library’s Website OR NC LIVE Website ( From home: Password, Library Card Number, or Other (Student ID and password) From on-campus or within a library: No login required

Accessing NC LIVE Resources Moral of the Story: Ask Your Local Librarian! For Business Research Help: Talk to your local librarian, or try

Accessing NC LIVE Resources – For today’s purposes, we’ll all use the NC LIVE website to access NC LIVE resources. – See your handout for a “temporary password” if needed.

Log-in to NC LIVE

Business Research with NC LIVE Library tools via NC LIVE are complementary and are more powerful when used together. We’ll use two fictional case studies to demonstrate. Use your own examples and ask questions as we go!

Case Study #1: The Yoga Studio Jennifer from _________, NC A registered yoga teacher with a strong following of local students. She has been teaching on the side out of her home at night for a few years, but it is her dream to quit her day job and open her own studio. Jennifer needs to determine the best location for a yoga studio in the _________-area. She needs to research the type of business she should develop (LLC? Sole Proprietorship?). She wants to develop a business plan, and calculate potential profits.

Case Study #2: The Interior Design Business Mark from _________, NC Two years ago, Mark started his own interior design business. He had a business plan, but he’s not sure he researched the industry enough, and a slow economy has made life challenging. Mark specializes in designing offices, including both residential and commercial spaces. Mark needs new customers so he can continue to employ his assistant. How should he should target his efforts and find new markets for his services?

The NC LIVE Website Visit Click on Business & Management

NC LIVE Business Research Tools

NC LIVE Business Portal: Small Business Reference Center business.nclive.org

Small Business Reference Center

NC LIVE Find a Magazine, Journal or Newspaper in Full-Text

Find a magazine, newspaper or journal in full-text.

The Wall Street Journal

Hoover’s Online 1.Search by industry – understand opportunities and potential profits 2.Search for specific companies/competitors, locations 3.Build a list – to use for mailings, cold calls, targeted marketing, etc.

SimplyMap