This document summarizes business and job seeker resources available at two public libraries - Arlington Heights Memorial Library and Schaumburg Township District Library. It provides an overview of the business reference services offered, including assistance with company research, industries, marketing, and business planning. Career resources for job seekers like resume reviews, job search databases, and networking events are also described. Examples of outreach initiatives and partnerships with local organizations to support local businesses and job seekers are provided.

1. Library Resources for
Business and Job Seekers
Public Library Association Conference
March 14, 2014
Presented by:
Shannon Distel, Arlington Heights Memorial Library
Patricia Smolin, Schaumburg Township District Library

2. Business Reference
 Definition according to Tana Elias, Business Librarian
at Madison Public Library:
“Business reference starts with standard
company, industry, and financial information, but often
quickly expands to include the subject areas of health
and medicine, science and technology, law, computer
troubleshooting, marketing, web design and any one of
hundreds of industries.”

3. We source and navigate
 Accounting/Tax
 Companies
 Competitors
 Economics/Nat’l, Global
 Entrepreneurship
 Finance/Investment
 Industry Research
 International Business
 Management/Leadership
 Marketing
 Public Relations/
Communications
 Social media/advertising

4. Where we excel…
 Outreach & Community Initiatives
 We are exceptional listeners
 We are prepared
 Support and promotion
 We offer space and hospitality
 We are Smart Santas: Miracle on 34th St.
 Who has what we/patrons need?

5. STDL Business Services
 History: kept on pace with the village's fast-growing
neighborhoods and business districts since the early
1970s.
 Extensive print reference collection
 Active membership in 3 Chambers
(SBA, HE, HP), Community and Village events
 Local business & career networking events
 Business programming
 SCORE, local business speakers, MSW, Fed
Reserve
 Monthly Business eNewsletter , Business Sparks
 Active presence in It’s Just Business blog, LinkedIn
 Book a Librarian: one-on-one reference appointments

6. AHML Business Services
 Business Bytes presentations
 Bi-monthly programs on social media & technology
 Business Programming
 SCORE, local business speakers, MSW
 Monthly Business eNewsletter
 One-on-one appointments
 Active membership in local Chamber of Commerce
 Presentations to community groups, Small Business
Development Center, local colleges, organizations and
career groups
 Local business and career networking events

7. Neighboring Libraries
Business Services
 Mount Prospect Public Library, Downtown Business Initiative
 Partnership with the Library, Downtown Merchants
Association, Chamber, Village of Mt. Prospect
 Library contributes the educational piece for business plan
development, using e-sources for online business
directories, generated leads/customizing lists
 Mount Prospect Public Library, Jump Start Your Business
 Library partners w/Chamber, open Library early, recruit speakers or
present on Library sources/tools
 Mount Prospect Public Library, Show Your Card
 Free marketing for participating businesses in September
 Barrington Area Library, video profiles for local businesses:
http://balibrary.org/business/videos/

8. Library Instruction
 Computer class and one-on-one appointments
 Websites and blogs
 Business branding/marketing
 Ecommerce sites
 Mobile apps
 Databases
 Social media tools
 Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hootsuite, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Go
ogle +, Foursquare
 Video and Digital Studio production
 Social media management tools (Hootsuite)

9. Company Information/
Marketing Lists
Sources Outcomes
Business Source Premier news, market reports
Corporate Affiliations profiles, company & executive lists, contacts,
email addresses
Hoovers profiles, lists, contacts
Gale Business/Company business plans, history
LexisNexis profiles, company lists, contacts
Plunkett’s profiles, industry reports
Public Records real estate, new business licenses, transfers,
background checks
Reference USA profiles, resident and company lists, jobs
 Free Resources: Corporate LLC, EDGAR (SEC filings), Annual reports,
Company websites

10. AHML Jobs & Careers
 Job Seekers Series
 Job and career resources in the Library’s Business
Center
 One-on-one appointments
 Databases, job search, LinkedIn
 Outreach
 Resume reviews
 Community resources

11. STDL Jobs & Careers
 Outreach
 Partnerships with local job organizations
 Community resources
 Resume reviews by appointment
 Ongoing job programs
 One-on-one appts
 Tutor.com, Jobs & Career Accelerator
 Generate lists of target companies
(RefUSA/Indeed)
 Job postings (In Jobs/Careers Center)

12. Resources
 Small Business Development Center
 http://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-development-centers-sbdcs
 Join BRASS, a division of RUSA
 Online discussion forum, webinars (e.g. private company info, competitive
intelligence)
 Email list/BUSLIB-L Network with other business reference librarians.
 http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=BUSLIB-L&A=1
 BIG/Business Interest Group (Northwest Suburbs of Chicago)
 Support and idea sharing with 15 neighboring public libraries
 Your Community
 Attend Village meetings, business openings, job fairs, Chamber events
 Book recommendation: Making Sense of Business Reference by Celia Ross
 Symbaloo
 http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/businessservicesresources
 http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/jobamp-careerresources