By the Numbers: Small Business

Totaling library support for local small businesses and entrepreneurs

By Megan Bennett | November 1, 2024

Food cart on wheels whose sign reads "Pier Tamales"

With small businesses employing almost half the US workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public libraries contribute significantly to the economy through resources that support small businesses and the entrepreneurs who start them.

5.5 million
The record-breaking number of new businesses started in 2023, according to the US Census Bureau.

50%
Approximate number of libraries in the US that provide free services to entrepreneurs seeking to start or expand their businesses, according to the American Library Association’s Libraries Build Business Playbook

2012
Year that Toronto (Ontario) Public Library (TPL) debuted its Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR). TPL was an early adopter of the business-focused residency program, and its EIRs continue to host office hours and public programs to mentor peers looking to start their own ventures.

$13,000
Amount that St. Louis County (Mo.) Public Library estimates small businesses can save annually by using its databases and resources. Its Small Business Center offers subscriptions to a foundation directory to find grant opportunities, LinkedIn Learning, Gale Business: Entrepreneurship database, and more.

4
Number of commercial kitchens at Mid-Continent Public Library’s Culinary Center in Kansas City, Missouri. These kitchens, available to rent for small business owners, offer a six-burner range top, conventional and convection ovens, a steam kettle, mixers, and dry and cold storage.

29
Number of schoolchildren who participated in Itasca (Ill.) Community Library’s (ICL) 2023 Shark Tank Junior program. ICL is one of several US libraries that have hosted youth programs inspired by the ABC reality TV show Shark Tank, in which business owners pitch investment opportunities to venture capitalists.

$15,000
Prize amount awarded to the first place entry in New York Public Library’s StartUP! Business Plan Competition. The 2023 winner was Nasir + Indie, a clothing line designed for kids with autism and sensory processing disorder.

$2.50
The highest amount patrons of Kenton County (Ky.) Public Library pay to print one customized T-shirt using its direct-to-garment printer.

8
Number of street vendors who served as paid consultants for Los Angeles Public Library’s Sea un Vendedor Ambulante Exitoso/Successful Street Vending program. The program includes a self-paced curriculum available on a mobile phone in Spanish and English. To learn more about the program, listen to the Supporting Small Business episode of our podcast, Call Number With American Libraries.

MEGAN BENNETT is an associate editor at American Libraries.

Tagged Under

Illustration of an open backpack with stolen library books spilling out

Stolen Pages

On the 20th anniversary of a confounding crime

Latest Library Links

7h

Chase Hunter writes: “Chabot College Library and Learning Center in Hayward, California, held a ceremonial opening last week, but students have already gone so often that it’s quickly become a campus cornerstone. More than 35,000 Chabot College students have visited the new library and learning center—the tallest building on campus—this semester, already surpassing last year’s total. The new building’s geometric clean lines and splashes of orange—the school’s color—over a chrome exterior is attracting students in a way that Chabot College hasn’t experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Mercury News (San Jose, California), Oct. 28
12h

Michelle Ehrhardt writes: “Like the Metaverse and NFTs before it, it feels near impossible to follow tech news right now without hearing about Artificial Intelligence (AI). I understand it can get annoying: The tech is still in development, and everyone’s still figuring out the ethics of generating AI Art, or how to make it not suck. It’s tempting to write AI off entirely. There are a few key use cases I’ve found where AI shines better than pretty much any other alternative. As an AI skeptic, here’s where I think AI is most useful.”

Lifehacker, Oct. 28
1d

Katherine Klosek writes: “The Librarian of Congress—based on recommendations by the register of copyrights—issued an expansion to the 2021 Digital Millennium Copyright Act regulation that permits researchers to circumvent technological protection measures to conduct text and data mining research. The updated regulation clarifies that academic researchers can securely access research collections of literary works or motion pictures hosted by other institutions of higher education for purposes of collaboration, or to facilitate their own independent research projects.”

Association of Research Libraries News, Oct. 28
1d

Michele Gile and Matthew Rodriguez write: “A group of Huntington Beach (Calif.) residents known as ‘Protect HB’ said they’ve gathered enough valid signatures to try repealing a new ordinance that could impact which books are put on public library shelves. More than 15,000 people have signed a petition that’s headed to the city clerk. If valid, voters will decide whether the city council majority’s community parent-garden review board [which has relocated books on puberty and potty training to the adult section] will exist.”

KCAL-TV (Los Angeles), Oct. 28
2d

Robin Camille Davis writes: “Three things are certain in this world: death, taxes, and librarians sending out surveys. We are a patron-focused profession, and we crave user feedback. Moreover, some of us yearn for peer feedback for articles we write or hypotheses we test. When you create a survey—if you haven’t yet, it’s just a matter of time—there are a few things you should keep in mind. These tips will improve your survey and help make it more likely that people will respond.”

Choice 360 LibTech Insights, Oct. 23
2d

Danika Ellis writes: “Halloween approaches! Even if you’re not usually a horror reader, this is the perfect time to dip your toe in those bloody waters. Especially when it comes to horror books, immersing yourself entirely in the story by reading it all at once allows the tension to build more effectively, and reading late into the night invites your rational brain to take a back seat while your lizard brain panics at the strange sound you just heard. If you’d like to give it a try, I’ve selected eight horror books you can read cover-to-cover on Halloween.”

Book Riot, Oct. 28
2d

Kathleen McBroom writes: “After emerging from pandemic lockdowns and district closings many public and school librarians started reporting changes in kids’ behavior. Many adults noticed actions that were concerning, ranging from inabilities to reengage in play and normal conversations to actions demonstrating a lack of empathy. A call went out for remedial social emotional learning programming. Many librarians and educators appreciate the positive differences these interventions have made, and desire to expand and continue these efforts. Luckily, there are inexpensive and effective themes and presentation strategies that can be seamlessly integrated into existing programming.”

ALSC Blog, Oct. 26