The document discusses Brooklyn Public Library's (BPL) services that support young jobseekers and entrepreneurs. BPL offers workforce development resources like career counseling, resume/interview workshops, and access to business databases. They also provide youth programming to help develop skills and connect young people to employment opportunities through initiatives like paid library internships, volunteer programs, and career readiness workshops. BPL aims to serve as a community hub that fosters lifelong learning and fuels the local economy.

1. DEVELOPING STORIES, BUILDING
COMMUNITIES:
BPL’S SERVICES FOR YOUNG
JOBSEEKERS AND ENTREPRENEURS
“And public libraries are also serving as a lifeline for people trying to adapt to
challenging economic circumstances, providing technology training and online
resources for employment, access to government resources, continuing
education, retooling for new careers and starting a small business. Libraries not only
benefit their users individually. They also act as community hubs, bringing people
together and connecting them to worlds beyond their communities. Libraries offer
more than just books; they are community centers where everyone has access to
programs and services that fuel lifelong learning.”
Molly Raphael, 2011 President of the American Library Association
Presented by:
March 2013
Kerwin Pilgrim
Brooklyn Public Library
Director of Adult Learning

2. Outline
 Introduction
 BPL Overview and Background
 Brooklyn Demographics
 Service Overview and Statistics
 Business and Workforce Development
 Youth Services
 Young Jobseekers
 Entrepreneurs

3. According to a
recent report
published on New
York City Libraries:
“One way or
another, New York
needs to better
leverage its libraries
if it is to
be economically
competitive and
remain a city of
opportunity.”
Center for an Urban Future’s
“Branches of Opportunity”
January 2013

4. Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)
Overview
 BPL Overview  Strategic Goals
 Serves 2.5 million  Education
residents of Brooklyn  Access
 5th largest public  Culture
library in the US  Inclusion
 60 locations with
 Space
Central and Business
 Stewardship
& Career Library
 Mission/Vision

9. Service Overview
 Circulation
 Print: Books and Periodicals
 Non-Print: Multi-Media (DVDs, Audio books, CDs)
 Digital: e-books, e-video, and e-audio
 Programs
 Adults (including seniors)
 Young Adults (13 to 21)
 Children
 Technology
 Computer
 Internet and Wireless Internet
 Laptops
 Databases

12. Business and Workforce
Development
 Business & Career Library Hub Location
 Comprehensive Collection
 Education and job information
 Business and investment information
 Periodicals, serials, and newsletters
 Online resources
 Popular Databases
 Career Cruising (Career Assessment and Exploration)
 Learning Express Library (Test Preparation and Job Readiness)
 Reference USA (Market research)
 Plunkett (Industry Research)
 Morningstar (Investment Research)
 Small Business Resource Center (Sample business plans)
 Electronic Services
 Email Reference
 Chat Reference
 Telephone Reference

13. Business and Workforce
Development
 One on One Services (provided by librarian staff)
 STEP one on one job readiness counseling
 Book a librarian one on one research help
 Popular Workshops
 Resume writing and interviewing
 Starting a business and finding financing
 Computer Basics and Using Microsoft Word
 Special Grant Programs
 PowerUP! Business Plan Competition
 Growing Dollars and $ense Financial Literacy education
 Partnerships
 Workforce One job placement centers in two libraries
 Dept. Labor employment counseling and orientations (one on one)
 SCORE business counseling (one on one)
 Office of Financial Empowerment financial counseling (one on one)
 NELP legal business counseling (one on one)
 Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce monthly member meetings

14. Sample Business Programs
 Marketing with New Technology Series: Email Marketing, Blogging,
Crowdsourcing, Marketing with Mobile Apps, (198)
 Start Smart Series: How to Start a Specialty Food Business; How to Start
a Fashion Business; How to Start Day Care Business (185)
 You Can Do It Too Entrepreneur Series: Success Stories from Brooklyn
Business Owners (157)
 Entrepreneur Expo: Meet & greet with business service and assistance
providers; meet with business mentors. (175)
 Legal Ease Series: Hiring Employees, Keeping Records, Paying Taxes
(189)
 Using Google Tools to Grow your Business (160)
 Start Up Series: How to Start a Business, How to Start a Non-Profit (261)
 Tech Essentials with Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce (115)
 Financial Empowerment Fair (90_
 Money Matters Series: Lenders’ Roundtable; Crowd Funding for Start Ups
(90)
 Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs with Neighborhood Entrepreneur
Law Project (87)

15. Outcome Story
“Start-Up Help at Your Local Library” Inc. Magazine.com June 3, 2010
 Stacey Toussaint, President and CEO of Inside Out Tours, Inc. won $15,000 for having a first
place plan to launch a 'cultural tourism company, offering bus and walking tours of
NYC, specializing in Brooklyn.' Toussaint said 'The goal of entering and winning the business
plan competition gave us an incentive to take classes at BPL's Business Library and utilize
Brooklyn's small business centers rather than just rely on our own resources. We received
training in marketing, creating financial statements, and writing a business plan. We also made
valuable connections with other competition participants that have resulted in strategic
relationships.'
 Runner up Elissa Olin, Founder & Owner of Green in BKLYN , an eco-friendly home goods & gift
shop in Clinton Hill said 'The prize money was the most visible and recognized resource…. But
an even longer lasting influence on the success of the business has been the media support and
coverage. It gave us a leg up and created not only a buzz, but momentum, which has been
instrumental in the success of the business in its first and, typically, most difficult year.' Sales
[are] up…. more than 60% higher year-to-year.
"The Library Helped Me Start My Business“ Women’s Day March 15, 2008
 The great thing about the Brooklyn Public Library Business Library is they not only sponsor this
contest, but also give valuable workshops on how to write your business plan, a workshop on the
resources at the library, and provide lists of outside resources to help start your business. It is a
one-stop shop….. The resources I found most helpful at the library were the ability to reserve
business books online and conduct industry-specific research through the library's
database, which also can be accessed from home with a library card and a pin code; the
numerous workshops offered by professionals in subjects such as
marketing, accounting, organization, time management, business plan basics; and last but not
least, the valuable advice of the librarians.

16. Youth Services
 Children and Family Services
 School Age Services
 Youth Adults
 Asset Based Model based on Search Institute

17.  And public libraries are also serving as a lifeline for
people trying to adapt to challenging economic
circumstances, providing technology training and
online resources for employment, access to
government resources, continuing education, retooling
for new careers and starting a small business.
 Libraries not only benefit their users individually. They
also act as community hubs, bringing people together
and connecting them to worlds beyond their
communities. Libraries offer more than just books;
they are community centers where everyone has
access to programs and services that fuel lifelong
learning.

19. CUF Report
 One way or another, New York needs to better
leverage its libraries if it is to
 be economically competitive and remain a city
of opportunity. P3

20.  Finally, at a time when entrepreneurship is
 becoming increasingly important to the city’s
 economy, the libraries offer an array of useful
 resources for current and prospective business
 owners. Some branches, such as the Science and
 Business Library (SIBL) in Manhattan and the
 Business and Career Library (B&CL) in Brooklyn,
 provide free access to market research databases
 that would otherwise cost hundreds or thousands
 of dollars. Many branches operate as de facto incubators,
 providing a regular home to hundreds
 of businesses. And the libraries consistently offer
 programs that connect would-be entrepreneurs
 with small business assistance experts and mentors.
 Indeed, at least 250 small businesses have
 been launched by clients that were advised at
 SIBL by mentors from SCORE (Service Corps of
 Retired Executives). p7

21. Young Jobseekers: A Snapshot
 Census Data on youths in Brooklyn
 Statistics on youth unemployment
 Statistics on out of school youth
 Statistics on juvenile justice

22. Young Jobseekers
 Employ youths
 Part timers/Pages
 Computer Aides
 City wide Summer Youth Employment Program
 Programs
 Workshops-YA Ready
 Online Resources
 Career Assessment
 Learning Express Library
 Volunteer
 MIP Multicultural Internship Program
 T4 Today’s Teens., Tomorrow’s Techies
 Internships