Libraries and Business: A Great Partnership

Libraries and Business: A Great Partnership

When the Memorial Public library was built in 1917 it was during a time of great change. It was the turn of the century, after the Civil War and during the First World War. The industrial revolution had moved people from outlying farms to the in-town factory. Medfield's main industry, a straw hat factory employed 2000 of the townspeople and people from the surrounding countryside, an amazing number at that time for the size of the town. Granville Dailey, one of the wealthy factory owners, built the library as a memorial to his wife and daughter. Another wealthy businessman, Robert Charles Billings, donated to support the library in it's educational role. In a sense, the library was built by business.

Now is the time when the library can help to build business. The world is moving from a place of tangible tools of information, books, magazines, CDs and DVDs, to information that is virtual, ephemeral and vast. It requires new tools that take new skills to master. The library is the place to acquire the skills and master these tools.

The library can be a business incubator supplying the information on demographics, competition, structure, and funding for business planning. The librarian can provide training and education on facets of business development. It can be the place to conduct a small business with internet access, fax service, scanning, resources and even space for meetings.

According to Massachusetts Library Commissioner Mary Rose Quinn, “Libraries are the “R” in R&D” (Research and Development). Librarians are the original search engine and the natural group to contact to track down that essential piece of information. The library is the place to come when you need to research the technical details of your business plan, learn about new technologies or get connected with other organizations that can help you move to the next level.

Bring your business to the library.

By Mare Parker-O'Toole
Senior Adult Services Librarian