You are here
Libraries and Economic Recovery: Supporting Entrepreneurs
An Infopeople Webinar
Presenters: George Needham and Joan Frye Williams
Times are tough, unemployment is up, and libraries have responded by expanding services to people who are looking for jobs. But how about addressing the needs of people who are creating jobs? Entrepreneurs, especially the “new creatives” – designers, chefs, writers, landscapers, crafters, techies, and other imaginative problem-solvers – are expected to play a leading role in the economic recovery.
Some people know from the outset that they want to start their own businesses. Others are “accidental” entrepreneurs, looking to self-employment when a traditional job proves hard to find. Either way, prospective entrepreneurs often lack the specific skills, tools, and other resources necessary for success.
Consultants George Needham and Joan Frye Williams will describe what these job-creators need and how innovative libraries are leveraging existing assets to accommodate them. You’ll learn how you can
- Arrange workspaces for business creativity and collaboration,
- Provide opportunities for independent entrepreneurs to join forces and build community,
- Offer the technologies most valued by entrepreneurs,
- Partner with other organizations to host high-appeal programs, and
- Repackage reference services to appeal to this audience.
If you're an optimistic staff member or trustee who seeks to strengthen your community, help generate more tax revenue, and forge new partnerships with emerging economic movers and shakers, this webinar is for you. And if you're a pessimist who expects things to get worse, we recommend that you log in anyway, to find out what you can do to avoid becoming an accidental entrepreneur yourself!
Webinars are free of charge and registration is only done on the day of the event on the WebEx server. No passwords are required.