We are heading to South by Southwest Interactive early in March to continue the conversation we began last SXSWi with starters, venture capitalists, and policy and think tank folks about libraries.

We're very lucky to be a part of a great crew of librarians and library organizations who are bringing new visibility about the profession and its ongoing relevance with business development to the SXSWi audience.  A librarian friend once said that "support for entrepreneurs should be as ubiquitous as story time in libraries".  I suspect it already is, but it isn't called that yet.  Whether you are heading to Austin or want to start talking  around your community about business reference in a 2.0 economy, EveryLibrary is building resources to help make these conversations a little easier to start. Please feel free to download our one-pager on "Libraries and Start-ups" or email me at [email protected] for the source files in InDesign to adapt it to your library's brand.

EveryLibrary_Libraries_and_Startups-Jan14 (PDF)

The text of the PDF is below.  Cut and paste that, too.  We have a great story to tell about the work we do building the economy and helping our patrons and customers succeed.

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Libraries: An Extension of Your Start-up

Businesses at every stage – from ideation to launch to scale – can benefit from the resources at the public library and the expertise of librarians. Libraries give companies access to data, market research, testing and opportunities to scale. Librarians also have an extensive knowledge base to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

R&D

Access resources that otherwise would cost thousands of dollars from LexisNexis to JSTOR to Standard & Poor’s.

• Check for patent and trademark information
• Gather competitive data and intelligence
• Develop your pitch deck for investors
• Research your supply chain, financial, and legal information

Librarians can serve as an extension of your staff and will help you harness the power of these resources to grow your business.

Data and Testing

Libraries can support product development and testing, including access to hardware and platforms in real-world conditions.

• Get your product in the hands of potential customers
• Convene a focus group or beta test
• Generate useful feedback which can be applied to the development process

Librarians want to support local businesses. They are there to help and they are interested in your success.

Going to Market

The library is a showroom. Studies show, people are more likely to buy a product after first trying it at the library.

• Allow potential customers to experience your platform, product or service first hand through the local library
• Conduct ongoing research and competitive analysis to continue innovation

Librarians are early-adopters and train late-cycle adopters (the public) every day on emerging technologies, platforms, apps, and innovations. Harness the power of these resources to grow your business.

Libraries are mobile and forward thinking

Libraries have innovative resources, such as 3D printers and tablets, which can be leveraged during the product development cycle. Many of the re- sources you need can be accessed remotely from your office.