Why spend thousands of dollars on continuing education, market research, and growing your business? With your free Central Rappahannock Regional Library card, you can have it all at no extra cost. If you don't live near us, try your own local library for similar resources.

1. librarypoint.org

2. Boosting Your Skills
on (Less Than) a Dime
Prepared for
Women in Business Leadership
April 2019

3. Raise your hand if you...
● Own or manage a business or organization
● Want to start a business but don’t know where to begin
● Use social media to promote your business or organization
● Want to develop a targeted marketing strategy
● Wish you had more access to professional development but can’t afford it

4. What can you do?
● Become a Universal Class continuing education member: $189/year
● Subscribe to LinkedIn Learning, $30/month
● Order a full-market research report starting at $1500
Or…
use your library card and
access these for free!

5. Today you will learn...
● How to leverage the power of your free library card to boost your leadership,
business, and technical skills.
● About the many online resources your library offers to support business and
workforce development.
● That your library offers free, informative classes and events that will enhance your
knowledge and further connect you to our community.

6. Your CRRL library card
Two ways to get a card:
● Visit any of our ten branches serving the city of Fredericksburg and the counties of
Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland.
● Go to librarypoint.org/card, fill out the form, and your card will be mailed to you.
Then, head to librarypoint.org to access online resources, check out eBooks, place items
on hold, and view our events calendar.

7. What your library card gets you
● Thousands of eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming video, digital magazines.
Download the apps and listen/watch/read from anywhere.
● Access to new and best-selling titles; put them on hold and pick up at any CRRL
branch.
● Free online language learning, exam prep, genealogy resources, research
resources for all ages.
● Book Groups in a Bag.

8. But wait...there’s more!
Additional library services:
● Free Notary Public service at all branches.
● Meeting rooms for nonprofits and study rooms for small groups.
● Educational and entertaining classes and events for all ages.
● MakerLabs (free 3D printing!).
● Talking Books for the visually impaired.
● Training on Demand: One-on-one appointments with an expert.
● Law library and Virginiana Room (local history and genealogy) at our Fredericksburg
branch.

9. Resources for business & learning
● ReferenceUSA
● Lynda.com online learning
● Universal Class
● Small Business Development Center
● Law Depot and Gale Legal Forms
● Foundation Directory Online (Fredericksburg Branch only)

10. ReferenceUSA: Main features
● Data on 55 million businesses and 318 million consumers
● Obtained from 6,000 sources, including 250 new business resources (public record notices,
county courthouses, utility connections)
● 400 staff members make 24 million calls yearly to verify accuracy, updated every Friday
● Historical database that allows you to research business trends. Look up an address to see if it’s
worth opening a business there.
● Additional resources: 2.5 million job postings, 1.2 million physicians and dentists, 16 million new
homeowners

11. ReferenceUSA: How to get started
Visit librarypoint.org → Research → Business and Investing → ReferenceUSA
● Log in with library card number and PIN. Set up an account in ReferenceUSA (optional) to keep
track of your work.
● Begin searching, or access the Learning Center for training guides on:
● Need more help? ReferenceUSA experts are available by phone and email.
➔ Vertical B2B marketing ➔ Finding your competitors
➔ Advanced searching/building a list ➔ Market analysis
➔ Analyzing a business community ➔ Consumer snapshots

12. Lynda.com: Main features
● Same product as LinkedIn Learning, but you don’t have to pay for it.
● Over 6,000 self-paced online courses taught by certified instructors.
● Create your own playlist of courses, or follow a preset “learning path” such as:
➔ Become a Small Business Owner ➔ Become a Marketing Specialist
➔ Get Ahead in the On-Demand Gig Economy ➔ Become a Web Designer
➔ Women in Leadership ➔ Become a Project Coordinator

13. Lynda.com: How to get started
Visit librarypoint.org → Research → Careers & Workforce Development →
Lynda.com (be sure to access Lynda through the library’s portal)
● Log in with your library card number and PIN.
● Edit your profile with your preferences if desired.
● Start searching and adding courses/learning paths to your playlist.

14. Universal Class: Main features
● Accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education
and Training (IACET).
● Provides certificates and CEUs (continuing education units) upon course completion.
● Classes are reviewed for quality instruction from quality instructors.
● Offers courses on topics such as:
➔ Life coaching ➔ Finance
➔ Accounting ➔ Entrepreneurship
➔ Real estate ➔ Web development
➔ Personal development ➔ Computer training

15. LawDepot & Gale Legal Forms
LawDepot:
● Create free customized personal and business legal forms, including landlord/tenant agreements,
purchase agreements, bills of sale, and service agreements.
● Quick and easy to use, edit, print, and save.
● This resource requires you to create an account. If you already have an RBdigital magazine (formerly
Zinio) login, that account provides access to LawDepot as well.
Gale Legal Forms:
● Create legal documents or view completed sample Virginia legal forms for a broad range of topics such
as franchising, small business, taxes, and employment.

16. Foundation Directory Online
Available at Fredericksburg Branch (not available remotely)
● Comprehensive information for grant seekers on over 120,000 foundations and corporate
donors.
● Updated weekly.
● You can also access Foundation Maps, a data visualization tool and the easiest way to see who is
funding what and where around the world.
● Help for funders and nonprofits.

17. How to get started
For all of the above resources except Foundation Directory:
Visit librarypoint.org → Research → Business & Investing:
● Log in with your library card number and PIN (usually last 4 of phone or library barcode)
● Always log in to Lynda.com through the library’s portal, which you can bookmark for quick
access.
● Foundation Directory Online: Access from the Fredericksburg Branch. (You can access Grants to
Individuals from home.)

18. Library classes & events
Librarypoint.org → Events → Business, Finance, and Taxes
● Owning Your Financial Future:
Fredericksburg Branch, Thursday, April 25, 7:00-8:00 a.m.
● Small Business Networking:
Snow Branch, Friday, May 10, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Porter Branch, Friday, June 14, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
● Learn About Law:
Fredericksburg Branch, Friday, June 14, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
● Foundations of Investing
Fredericksburg Branch, Thursday, July 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

19. Thank you!
Tracy McPeck
Adult Services Coordinator
tracy.mcpeck@crrl.org
540-372-1144, x7006
CRRL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: /crrlnews