According to the Small Business Start-Up Guide: Michigan, small businesses provide 1.9 million jobs in our state and account for 99.6% of the state’s businesses. Local libraries can provide support to business owners through eResources in the Michigan eLibrary (MeL).

To help with market research, MeL includes access to Gale Business: DemographicsNow. Patrons can use the Demographics reports to learn about income, housing, race, age, education, retail spending, and consumer expenditures of the people in a selected geographic area such as a city, county, or ZIP code. Detailed information about the spending habits of potential customers can help determine whether an area could support new business activity. Using the People & Companies reports, business owners can create mailing lists to contact potential customers.

Entrepreneurs have access to thousands of SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) reports from MarketLine in Entrepreneurial Studies Source. These reports might be used for strategic planning, discovering new business avenues, and avoiding future pitfalls. Using the Company Profiles link at the top of the page, one can access MarketLine Reports that include information such as a company overview, business description, key employees, and major products and services (example: Pfizer, Inc.)

Keeping current on topics such as communication, leadership, workplace culture, and ethics can be easier if one has read the latest books on each topic. However, with only so much time in a day, Business Book Summaries can be a helpful tool. Each book is summarized in a concise report that includes Key Takeaways and an Overview. Those who prefer audiobooks can listen to an Audio Summary.

If you are interested in learning more about eResources for Michigan businesses offered by MeL, you can register for a free webinar that will include demonstrations of these tools to help library staff gain expertise and knowledge to help small businesses in your community thrive.

If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact melerhelp@mcls.org for help.

Brought to you by Laura Warren-Gross from the MeL Team. 

Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First. 

Want more information on MeL?  Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs,  visit http://mel.org, or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via GovDelivery. We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks. 

MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only. 

#IMLSGrant 

Laura Warren-Gross

MeL Engagement Specialist for Public Libraries

Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS)

1407 Rensen St, Suite 1, Lansing, MI 48910

(517) 481-2022