BRASS BUSINESS REFERENCE IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES COMMITTEE FORUM

PRESENTING A SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY Mark Andersen Irwin D. Faye Chicago Public Library

Target Your Audience Walk-Ins Local Businesspersons Chambers of Commerce Entrepreneurial Groups Social Service Agencies Students: Secondary, Vocational or College

Know Your Contact Person Discuss what is wanted and what you and your library can do Ask how many people will be attending Schedule a time. Schedule a room or quiet place. Reconfirm at least a week before.

Create Handouts Workshop Bibliography – Print and Electronic Library and/or Department Brochures Service Brochures Collection Pathfinders and Bibliographies

The Workshop Introduce Yourself Pass out handouts Describe your libraries collections and services

Presentation Layout Basic Sources Local Sources Business Planning and Start-Up Marketing Industry Classification Industry Surveys Trade Journals and Indexes Databases Statistical Sources Demographics Company Information

and Financial Ratios Site Selection Trade Names and Trademarks Create a Small Business Web Bibliography for Your Library. Internet

Basic Sources Small Business Sourcebook

Local Sources Municipal Government Business Handbooks State Government Business Handbooks Local Business Magazines or Newspapers

Business Planning & Start-Up Incorporation Business Plans Marketing Plans Venture Capital

Marketing

Industry Classification SIC & NAICS

Industry Surveys Entrepreneurs Need to Know the Current State of an Industry Annual Industry Surveys can date rapidly due to changing economic conditions

Trade Journals Most current industry information often with special issues

Trade Journal Title Sources SRDS Business Publications Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media Bacon’s Magazine Directory International Media Guides

Periodical Indexes Talk about the ones in your library and how they can be used

Databases Describe useful ones in your library Mention library policy Library vs. Remote

Statistical Sources Statistics are needed to back-up a business or marketing plan to a banker or venture capitalist

Associations Where to go if the library has no information. Mission vs. Service

Demographics Who Lives There? Entrepreneurs usually need the most specific demographic information: zipcode or census tract. Old information is useless Chambers of Commerce

Company Information Directories Databases Local Sources

Financial Ratios Valuation of private companies Benchmarking

Site Selection Local Directories Corporate Databases Tax or Real Estate Atlases Land Valuation Demographics Information may be old – Visit the site

Trade Names and Trademarks Define the difference Federal vs. State You are not a lawyer Sources

Create a Small Business Web Bibliography for your Library List all appropriate federal, state, municipal and local small business sources including sites on business handbooks, laws and regulations, licensing, taxes, incorporation and business and legal forms Annotate each site

Internet Search Engines Authority Control

KEEP STATISTICS!