Public libraries are often a vastly underused resource for businesses and business people. This book shows librarians how to aggressively pursue businesses until they turn naturally to libraries for their information needs. The book provides a step-by-step process which teaches librarians how to identify the information needs of businesses, respond to those needs through improvements in the way information is made available, and then actively market library services in the business community. The book consists of 8 chapters: (1) Getting Ready To Serve the Business Community; (2) Becoming Aware of the Business Community's Needs; (3) Assessing Resources; (4) Training Library Staff to Work With the Business Community; (5) Getting Your Foot in the Door; (6) What Specific Services Can My Library Provide?; (7) Marketing; and (8) Results. Appendices include: components of a business plan; organizing focus groups at a reasonable cost; a sample strategic plan for serving the business community formulated by the Gwinnett-Forsyth Regional Library in Georgia; "Guidelines for Medical, Legal, and Business Responses at General Reference Desks" (Standards and Guidelines Committee, Reference and Adult Services Division, American Library Association); and a glossary of terms. (Contains 31 references.) (SWC)

Helping Business--The Library's Role in Community Economic Development: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Public Librarians. How-To- Do-It Manuals for Librarians. Number 73

Neal-Schuman Publishers, Incorporated

Neal Schuman Pub

United States, United States of America

PT, 1997

Includes bibliographical references (p. [143]-144) and index.

The more libraries can prove that they benefit the business community, the more funding they are likely to receive. "Helping Business" is designed to guide the public library administrator through the process of assessing their community's need for economic development assistance and carrying out a plan that works. The manual first addresses how to learn about local business' needs through such sources as focus groups, the chamber of commerce and the reference desk. Also covered are techniques to get more involved in the process of helping business; staff training, print and electronic sources for information; developing the support of other agencies; marketing through the press, newsletters, networking and meetings; and assessing and publicising results. An appendix dealing with organising focus groups rounds out this comprehensive guide.

The more libraries can prove that they benefit the business community, the more funding they are likely to receive. This work guides the library administrator through the process of assessing their community's need for economic development assistance and carrying out a plan that works.

2023-06-28