Customers are beginning to find out what we’ve known all along: libraries are the perfect place for entrepreneurs and budding businesses to get started. I can hear the collective groans and exclamations of “really?” from here. As Glenda the Good Witch said, “You’ve always had the power, my dear.” Now it’s time to show ‘em what you’ve got!
It isn’t news to anyone reading this that libraries offer the databases individuals can’t afford on their own, an extensive collection of books and articles to help people get start-up savvy, a quiet place to think, oh – and professional researchers with master’s degrees (aka librarians). But as with so many other library offerings, this is a news flash to those looking for a one-stop-shop to turn their side-hustle into a full-time gig.
If you want to position your library as the hot spot for entrepreneurs, or you want to start off slowly by adding some programs aimed at entrepreneurs, we can help. We’ve put together a guide to help you package what you already do (and inspire you with a few ideas you may not have tried yet). Inside it you’ll find:
- 4 ways libraries already help entrepreneurs (that you need to brag about!)
- 10 top tactics to try
- 6 marketing messages to steal
- And more!
No marketing department, or a very busy one? No problem. LibraryAware customers have access to a new line of templates for print, digital, and online materials designed specifically to reach entrepreneurs.
Meet your community’s needs, show your library is relevant, and tout your staff’s expertise, all at the same time. You’ve got resources solopreneurs and business- owner- wannabes don’t even know they need. And we bet people are getting tired of trying to draft a business plan in a noisy coffee shop.
Who needs a barista when you have a librarian anyway?
Get the guide: Promoting Entrepreneurship Programs at Your Library
Kathy Lussier is the Engagement Manager at NoveList. She is currently reading Let the People In: The Life and Times of Ann Richards by Jan Reid.