BUSINESS SERVICES
IN U.S. PUBLIC LIBRARIES

THE BUSINESS OF AMERICA …

LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA

A PUBLIC LIBRARY IS …

Publicly funded

Administered by a municipality
(county, city, region)

Open to all

A community meeting place

A source of valuable programs

A lender of FREE print and multimedia material

HOW ARE PUBLIC LIBRARIES SUPPORTED?

Local Public Funds (Budgeted tax revenue)

Millage

Donations

Underwriters / Sponsors

Late fees (fines)

Book Sales

Friends of the Library Activities (Fundraisers)

MILLAGE: SANILAC COUNTY PL, MICHIGAN

BUSINESS-RELATED INFORMATION IN PL

STARTING A BUSINESS

PROCURING GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS

INVESTMENT ADVICE

JOB SEARCH / CAREER PLANNING

COMPANY RESEARCH

ARTICLES (NEWS, ANALYSIS, OPINION, ADVICE)

PATENT and TRADEMARK DATABASES

BANKRUPTCY / FORECLOSURE

BUSINESS TITLES - CIRCULATING

How to Start a Business in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia

Business English: the Writing Skills You Need for Today’s Workplace

The American Bar Association Legal Guide for Small Businesses

Taking Aim! : the Business of Being an Artist Today

Bankruptcy for Small Business

BUSINESS TITLES - REFERENCE

Thomas Register of American Manufacturers

Encyclopedia of American Business History

Arlington Business Directory

Standard & Poor’s Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives

Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources

SPECIAL BUSINESS SERVICES IN PLS

New York Public Library

Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL)
 http://www.nypl.org/locations/sibl

INNOVATIVE (BUSINESS) LIBRARIES

Boston Public Library – Kirstein Business Library http://www.bpl.org/kbl/

Fayetteville Free Library - Creation Lab http://fflib.org/creationlab

Kansas City (MO) – Grant Research & Writing http://www.kclibrary.org/business-career/non-profits

BRASS
Business Reference in Public Libraries Committee http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/brass/brasspubs/publibbrief/publiclibraries
BRASS is the Business Reference and Services Section of ALA's Reference
& User Services Association (RUSA).
See also:
Best of the Business Websites http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/brass/brassprotools/bestofthebestbus/bestbestbusiness

HELPING THOSE IN NEED
Foreclosure Clinics (San Diego)
Job Search (Career)
Partnerships with Other Helpful Agencies
Princeton Public Library http://princeton.score.org/
In Tough Economic Times …

LIBRARIES AND THE…
RECESSION / DEPRESSION / ECONOMIC CRISIS
In recession, libraries are booming
--CBSNews, 2/2/09 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/02/eveningnews/main47705
99.shtml
Recession: A mixed blessing for libraries
--Utne Reader, 8/1/08 http://www.utne.com/2008-08-01/GreatWriting/Recession-A-
Mixed-Blessing-for-Libraries.aspx
Downturn puts new stresses on libraries
--NYTimes, 4/1/09 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/us/02library.html?_r=2&hp
In times of recession, libraries flourish
--CNN, 2/28/09 http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/02/28/in-timesof-recession-libraries-flourish/
The library: a recession sanctuary
--Boston Globe, 1/3/09 http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/01/03
/the_library___a_recession_sanctuary/
Library usage will go up during a recession
—
Management, are you really prepared? --Librarian
By Day, 1/9/09 http://librarianbyday.wordpress.com/200
9/01/09/library-usage-will-go-up-duringa-recession-management-are-youreally-prepared/

MAKING CITIES STRONGER:
PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

THROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARIES

BUSINESS FAQS

Does my old stock certificate have any value?

How can I find a sample business plan?

How can I learn about a company’s history and performance?

What are NAIC and SIC codes?

Where do I find information on government loans and grants for small business startups?

I need to be sure the name of my new company is not already in use.

BRASS – HELPFUL BUSINESS LINKS
Best of the Business Websites (Free Resources) http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/brass/brassprotools/bestofthebestbus/bestbestbusiness
Selected Core (Business) Competencies http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/brass/brassprotools/corecompetencies/corecompetenciesbusiness

Questions?
Thank you for your attention !
Andrea McGlinchey andreamcglinchey@fastmail.fm