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Small Business Resources

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES

The City Library has a variety of free and valuable resources to support Salt Lake City’s business community. We can help you start, maintain, and grow your business with powerful online tools you can access from home or work. Our librarians can provide tailored 1-on-1 assistance to help you build a business plan or reach new customers. These services are free to Library patrons. Email businesshelp@slcpl.org to schedule an appointment. Watch this page for upcoming business classes and workshops, and new resources to explore.

ONE-ON-ONE SMALL BUSINESS HELP

Schedule an appointment with a Librarian to learn how The City Library can support your business. We can help with a variety of topics, including gathering market data, writing a business plan, training your employees, and much more. To schedule an appointment, email businesshelp@slcpl.org, or call 801-524-8200.

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BUSINESS RESOURCES

With your City Library card number and PIN, these resources are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

Reference Solutions

Research your business' market, various industries, competitors, potential sales leads.

GALE Business Plan Builder

A powerful step-by-step workflow tool for the foundational documents your business or nonprofit will need. If you’re working on your business plan and wondering where to start, Gale Business Plan Builder can help.

Small Business Reference Center

A collection of eBooks, industry reports, how-to videos, market research articles, popular and academic journals, and Nolo Business Legal Guides. If you’re curious about what’s happening in your industry, or hoping to set benchmarks, the Small Business Reference Center has the information you need.

LinkedIn Learning

This large resource contains training videos taught by industry experts. Topics include important software, valuable skills, and vital business processes. This is a great resource for business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as their staff.


INVESTING RESOURCES

Morningstar

Stock and mutual fund ratings and analyses that allows investors to research thousands of investment possibilities.

The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal delivers breaking business news, investment insight, and original market analysis that people rely on to make smarter professional and personal financial decisions. NOTE: Patrons must create a user account and be logged in on WSJ.com in order to utilize the Library's unlimited license.

Value Line Research Center

Access to leading publications covering stocks, mutual funds, options and convertible securities, as well as special situation stocks.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I’m writing a business plan. How do I find market or competitor data?


Reference Solutions can be a very useful resource for this topic. Searching through the NAICS or SIC codes in Reference Solutions's U.S. Businesses Database can show you similar businesses and how they are performing. In the U.S. Consumers/Lifestyles database, you can use demographics and consumer segment data to find the numbers you need. Contact us to set up an appointment with a librarian for help with this database.

What should I include in my business plan? How should I organize it?


Check out GALE Small Business Builder. It has a variety of tools and formats so you can pick the business plan that works for your needs. Create an account to save your work and Gale Small Business Builder will walk you through your business plan step-by-step.

I’m thinking about expanding to a new location. How can your resources help?


The Map-based search in Reference Solutions' U.S. Businesses Database can be a valuable tool for locating hotspots for similar or complementary businesses. Cross-referencing with Salt Lake City's New Business License List can help you locate areas where new development is occurring.

I have an established business. How can you help my business grow?


Depending on your product or service, Reference Solutions can help you find sales leads on a business-to-business or business-to-consumer basis. Generate lists and export them to Excel to narrow down your focus. The industry reports in the Small Business Reference Center can also be helpful when looking for trends and opportunities in your industry — search your NAICS code for a report on your sector.