Business information is complex and requires a great deal of knowledge to navigate successfully. Secondary research skills in business, marketing, and entrepreneurship are not well-covered in standard coursework in undergraduate or graduate work. In addition, the resources that are emphasized are often costly, highly marketed, and specialized, and are inaccessible for many libraries and businesses. This benefits those entrepreneurs who are already affiliated with institutions with the means to access this information, perpetuating inequality in information and economic success.
This session will focus on low-to-no-cost resources in business research and how to effectively incorporate them into library instruction. After introducing participants to the issues of injustice in the business information environment, I will discuss solutions that can address the needs of entrepreneurs. This will including low-to-no-cost library resources, community-specific business resources such as funding groups, and partnerships with local public libraries to reduce costs and promote programming.
