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Business Resources

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The St. Charles Public Library offers a wide range of tools and resources to support you in all of your business endeavors. Our collection of online databases contains the most up-to-date information on the latest business trends.

 

Additionally, our Business Reference Librarian Chris Flood is available to meet with you to walk you through a demonstration of our library business resources. Book an appointment to learn how to get the most out of our wide range of business resources.

 

Take a look at some of the resources we have to offer and get started on boosting your business today.

Business Resources

As a salesperson for a Fortune 500 company or a small business owner, you need to connect with the right people.  The electronic resources listed below allow you to build personalized contact lists of company executives or consumers.  Discover business contacts based on industry, geography, or company size (by sales or number of employees) or locate potential customers based on their ZIP code, income, interests, hobbies, or homeowner status.

 

AtoZ*

Reference and Marketing Database including 30 million business profiles & 220 million residents. Ideal for sales leads, mailing lists, market research, employment opportunities, or finding friends and relatives.

*SCPL recommendation for best user interface and output options for this category.

 

Winmo (formerly known as Redbooks)*

This unique source shows advertisers-to-agencies “linkage,” has an in-depth agency database with contacts, and up-to-date agency and advertiser content, as well as a list of available advertising jobs.

*SCPLD recommendation for verified email addresses of individuals at many top companies.

 

Gale Business DemographicsNow 

Find geographic-based demographic information perfect for business and marketing plans.

 

Mergent Intellect

Access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, executive contact information, industry profiles and much more.

Whether you need population statistics, consumer expenditure figures or traffic counts, demographic data is critical.  Good data allows you to make better decisions, complete your business plan, and operate more efficiently.

 

Gale Business DemographicsNow

Find geographic-based demographic information perfect for business and marketing plans. Learn more about your potential customers: How much do they earn/spend?  What are they buying? Analyze markets, evaluate potential retail sites and create detailed, data-enhanced maps with thematic layers. Use the same lifestyle segmentation categorization used by professionals (Mosaic USA by Experian).

 

AtoZ

AtoZ offers the opportunity to tally businesses in a specific category.  This could be ‘the number of hair salons in Kane County,’ or ‘the number of companies in 60174 with more than 20 employees.’ It’s not perfect, as you (and Excel, probably) are doing the tally, but it can be helpful to define your competitive (or opportunity) set.

Information is key for informed decisions, and good industry research defines its economic outlook, the companies that comprise the competitive landscape, any products, operations or technology associated with the industry, and trends, opportunities and challenges that may impact the industry.

 

Mergent Intellect

First Research Industry Reports offer extensive industry research written from an objective business perspective.  Key Business Ratios (KBR) provides immediate online access to competitive benchmarking data. This powerful tool lets researchers examine industry benchmarks compiled from D&B®’s database of public and private companies, featuring 14 key business ratios (users choose a one- or three-year set of ratios) for public and private companies in 800 lines of business.

 

Business Insights Global

Industry essays, market share reports, and Plunkett reports (detailed reports with in-depth financial analysis of companies).

 

CFRA

Independent research firm offering high-quality research solutions including industry surveys, stock reports, fund reports, S&P research and The Outlook Newsletter.

 

Morningstar Investment Research Center

Find a stock or mutual fund, research current or prospective holdings, read analysts’ reports, and see ratings, financial reports, valuation ratios and key ratios.

Don’t go into your meeting or interview unprepared: gather all available names, news and data.

 

ABI INFORM / Global

Business magazines and journals covering a variety of subject areas including financial, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and more.

 

AtoZ

Reference and Marketing Database including 30 million business profiles & 220 million residents. Ideal for sales leads, mailing lists, market research, employment opportunities, or finding friends and relatives.

 

Business Insights Global

Research and analyze companies, industries, and economies around the world. Featuring current news, SWOT Reports, market share reports, and case studies to help you develop data-driven insights.

 

Magazines and Newspapers Online A-Z

Find out what magazines, journals, and newspapers the Library subscribes to online, and then link to the correct database to read articles or issues.

 

Mergent Intellect

Access private and public U.S and international business data, industry news, and executive contact information. First Research Industry Reports offer extensive industry research written from an objective business perspective. Key Business Ratios (KBR) provides immediate online access to competitive benchmarking data.

 

Winmo (formerly known as Redbooks)

This unique source shows advertisers-to-agencies “linkage,” has an in-depth agency database with contacts, and up-to-date agency and advertiser content, as well as a list of available advertising jobs.

You’ve gathered the data: now you need to compile it into a workable document to share with your stakeholders and lending partners.

 

Small Business Administration “Write Your Business Plan”

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers templates to develop either a traditional business plan or a lean startup plan.

 

Gale Virtual Reference Library Business Plans Handbook

This resource is good for inspiration: this title contains actual business plans compiled by, and aimed at, entrepreneurs seeking funding for small businesses. Presents sample plans taken from businesses in the manufacturing, retail and service industries that serve as examples of how to approach, structure and compose business plans.

 

Gale Business Entrepreneurship (The library’s subscription to this resource expires April 24, 2024)

This database offers articles (from encyclopedias, books, newspapers, trade journals and magazines) on topics that small business owners need, such as how to plan, fund, start and manage your business.

Let us equip you to meet your goals: digital projectors, laptops, tablets, WiFi Hotspots, video cameras and speakers will keep you current for persuasive presentations.

 

Laptops (all have webcams)

 

Tablets

 

Digital Projectors

 

Digital Projector Screens

 

Hotspots

 

Video cameras

 

Items received via the Small Business Administration (SBA)/Illinois State Library’s Business and Libraries Grant 2011, are the property of the Illinois State Library on long-term loan to the St. Charles Public Library District. These two items may be placed on hold or reserved by non-residents. SBA’s funding should not be construed as an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. All SBA-funded projects are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Don’t be the last person using an abacus to track your cash flow! Stay current with education options available from the library, either with classes at the library led by an instructor in our Tech Center, or online, with video instruction from industry experts, available according to your schedule.

 

LinkedIn Learning

Use your St. Charles Library card to access this powerful leading online learning platform that helps anyone learn business, software, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals.  Subjects include online marketing, social media marketing, analytics, data analysis and more.

 

Learning Express Library

Provides interactive practice tests, including the SAT, ACT, GED, civil service, military, real estate, teacher certification, and more. Also includes computer skills training and United States citizenship.

 

Gale Courses

Offers a wide range of highly interactive, instructor led courses that you can take entirely online.   As a St. Charles Public Library cardholder in good standing, you are entitled to these courses at no cost. Courses run for six weeks and new sessions begin every month.

The Library routinely offers business and career-centered programs. Check our Events Calendar or Discover Your Library Newsletter for a full list of upcoming programs.