Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
'NPL Means Business' program reviews five years of small-business support, partnerships and media outreach
Summary
Program lead summarized services since 2021: curated databases, Book-a-Librarian appointments, workshops, partnerships with SBA and SCORE, a podcast and TV episodes, and a newsletter of about 350 subscribers.
At the meeting, staff presented a comprehensive report on NPL Means Business, the library's small-business assistance initiative.
Corey (program lead) traced the program's evolution since 2021: compiling databases and curated book lists, adding business-focused collection items, hosting workshops with Belmont, SCORE and the SBA, and offering Book-a-Librarian appointments for individualized help. The program also produces handouts and bookmarks, runs a monthly newsletter (about 350 subscribers), and syndicates a TV-based series on NIKAT. A podcast, "Business as Usual," has run 21 episodes and serves as a referral tool for patrons.
Corey described partnerships and outreach, including working with a Vanderbilt graduate marketing class and delivering statewide resources via the Tennessee State Library and Archives listserv. Staff highlighted that the program helps bridge business-knowledge gaps through curated resources and community referral networks rather than legal or accounting advice.
Next steps: continue podcast and TV outreach, expand partnerships, and produce short training videos for statewide distribution during entrepreneur month.
