Benchmarking Results Highlights
Friday, August 11, 2006
Recap: The purpose of our project is to increase the use of the business collection & services by meeting the business library needs of the community. Using “business start-ups” as a target group we plan to develop models for electronic resources selection, business reference and business outreach initiatives. The Benchmarking of Business Services in Public Libraries was done in order to identify the best practices in the field.
Twenty-seven (27) libraries out of the 60 library Websites we visited publicized on their Websites at least one business service of interest to our review. We compiled the business programs offered at these libraries and the online tutorials and guides we could find on their websites. (Compilation is attached as Appendix A)
Programming
We recorded 51 different workshops distributed in 10 main categories: Business start-ups, human resources, sales, industry-specific classes, business taxes, marketing, technology, investing, financing, networking opportunities. Most of the programs were targeting small businesses. The “Starting your own business” program is the single most offered workshop (10 libraries) followed closely by the “walk-In counseling with SCORE” (8 libraries).
We recorded 19 different types of training sessions on business online resources but 13 of them were only offered by the NYPL. Only 6 libraries clearly identified classes on business library resources on their website. We see two possible reasons for this low turn-out: 1) Business database training might be mixed with computer training on the library websites and/or 2) Business workshops might include a library component, presenting business database and other resources related to a speaker’s topic.
We also recorded sponsorship and community collaboration on projects when this information was readily available. SCORE and the Small Business Development Center are the most common library collaborators for business workshops.
Twenty-two libraries offered at least one business related class, workshop or seminar. Although it is not possible to evaluate the quality of the programs delivered from a website visit, we can identify outstanding examples according to different criteria. Contra Costa County library and Hillsborough County Public Library Coop lead for the variety of business workshops presented (both have 14 different types of business workshops); Brooklyn Public Library distinguished itself with the uniqueness of its business plan competition program and the way the library managed to involve sponsors into the process (Citibank, electric utility company, NY City College etc); The New York Public Library is notable for the way it uses programming to promote its collection with over 21 collection/databases related classes.
Online Business Guides
We recorded over 55 different business guides topics. The depth and scope of these guides (pathfinders, “how to” guides, tutorials etc) varied greatly but we noted only those that went beyond the organized lists of links. The subjects most often treated are: Business Start-ups, Business Plans, Market Research, Company Information, Industry information, and Financing your business. Because it is all “out there” and “up front” we can easily identify the outstanding examples. We have found the best, most informative “classic” business guides examples at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library and the New York Public Library. Those are clearly models to emulate but many other libraries offer inspiring examples of what libraries can do to guide their patrons toward the information that is right for them.
We noted special initiatives related to business services that might be linked to the surveyed library special circumstances but still offer ideas that we could adapt at one point or another.
One guide deserves a very special mention: “Contra Costa County Library’s Toolkit for Library Workshop, Serving the Small Business Community”. This guide, graciously posted on Contra Costa County Library website is meant for us as we aspire to serve the Small Business Community. It is detailed from A to Z: How to select a workshop, form a library advisory group, locate speakers, plan/publicize & evaluate the workshops. It also comes complete with checklists, forms and sample publicity! Although very little might done in the exact same way, we believe this document might be used as a springboard if HPL decides to offer workshops to small companies in the future.
Uses of the Benchmarking Results
Using the data from the benchmarking we will survey 3 groups about the information needs of start-up companies: librarians, small entrepreneurs and organizations that offer services to company start-ups in Houston.
Once we have the results of the surveys we will combine the information with the best practices data to make recommendations for business reference and business outreach initiatives.
Finally, when our recommendations come one day to the implementation stage, some of the best practices out there will be imported and adapted to Houston Business Start-up needs.
Contributors to the Benchmarking Process: Judith Hiott (Project sponsor), Gretchen Gutierrez, John Tuggle, Rebecca Hubert, Adam Brooks, Patricia Jones, Mike McNamarra, Claire Lecompte (Project leader), Lon LeMaster, Mark Morrow, Alice Dooley, Richard Hurst, Noelle Kanady, Laurie Covington, Shammi Gill, Lois Kraft, Sondee Weiss, Suzy Benton, Georgia Owens, Sue Kaufman and Carol Jacks. ¶ 8:03 AM
Twenty-seven (27) libraries out of the 60 library Websites we visited publicized on their Websites at least one business service of interest to our review. We compiled the business programs offered at these libraries and the online tutorials and guides we could find on their websites. (Compilation is attached as Appendix A)
Programming
We recorded 51 different workshops distributed in 10 main categories: Business start-ups, human resources, sales, industry-specific classes, business taxes, marketing, technology, investing, financing, networking opportunities. Most of the programs were targeting small businesses. The “Starting your own business” program is the single most offered workshop (10 libraries) followed closely by the “walk-In counseling with SCORE” (8 libraries).
We recorded 19 different types of training sessions on business online resources but 13 of them were only offered by the NYPL. Only 6 libraries clearly identified classes on business library resources on their website. We see two possible reasons for this low turn-out: 1) Business database training might be mixed with computer training on the library websites and/or 2) Business workshops might include a library component, presenting business database and other resources related to a speaker’s topic.
We also recorded sponsorship and community collaboration on projects when this information was readily available. SCORE and the Small Business Development Center are the most common library collaborators for business workshops.
Twenty-two libraries offered at least one business related class, workshop or seminar. Although it is not possible to evaluate the quality of the programs delivered from a website visit, we can identify outstanding examples according to different criteria. Contra Costa County library and Hillsborough County Public Library Coop lead for the variety of business workshops presented (both have 14 different types of business workshops); Brooklyn Public Library distinguished itself with the uniqueness of its business plan competition program and the way the library managed to involve sponsors into the process (Citibank, electric utility company, NY City College etc); The New York Public Library is notable for the way it uses programming to promote its collection with over 21 collection/databases related classes.
Online Business Guides
We recorded over 55 different business guides topics. The depth and scope of these guides (pathfinders, “how to” guides, tutorials etc) varied greatly but we noted only those that went beyond the organized lists of links. The subjects most often treated are: Business Start-ups, Business Plans, Market Research, Company Information, Industry information, and Financing your business. Because it is all “out there” and “up front” we can easily identify the outstanding examples. We have found the best, most informative “classic” business guides examples at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library and the New York Public Library. Those are clearly models to emulate but many other libraries offer inspiring examples of what libraries can do to guide their patrons toward the information that is right for them.
We noted special initiatives related to business services that might be linked to the surveyed library special circumstances but still offer ideas that we could adapt at one point or another.
One guide deserves a very special mention: “Contra Costa County Library’s Toolkit for Library Workshop, Serving the Small Business Community”. This guide, graciously posted on Contra Costa County Library website is meant for us as we aspire to serve the Small Business Community. It is detailed from A to Z: How to select a workshop, form a library advisory group, locate speakers, plan/publicize & evaluate the workshops. It also comes complete with checklists, forms and sample publicity! Although very little might done in the exact same way, we believe this document might be used as a springboard if HPL decides to offer workshops to small companies in the future.
Uses of the Benchmarking Results
Using the data from the benchmarking we will survey 3 groups about the information needs of start-up companies: librarians, small entrepreneurs and organizations that offer services to company start-ups in Houston.
Once we have the results of the surveys we will combine the information with the best practices data to make recommendations for business reference and business outreach initiatives.
Finally, when our recommendations come one day to the implementation stage, some of the best practices out there will be imported and adapted to Houston Business Start-up needs.
Contributors to the Benchmarking Process: Judith Hiott (Project sponsor), Gretchen Gutierrez, John Tuggle, Rebecca Hubert, Adam Brooks, Patricia Jones, Mike McNamarra, Claire Lecompte (Project leader), Lon LeMaster, Mark Morrow, Alice Dooley, Richard Hurst, Noelle Kanady, Laurie Covington, Shammi Gill, Lois Kraft, Sondee Weiss, Suzy Benton, Georgia Owens, Sue Kaufman and Carol Jacks. ¶ 8:03 AM
