Public libraries have been with me every step of the way in my self-employment journey. I remember visiting the tiny Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, library when I was first dreaming about starting a business.<\/p>\n
Compared with today, the offerings for would-be\u00a0entrepreneurs were pretty skinny, but reading biographies of several pioneering women entrepreneurs inspired me and helped me believe I could create my own business, too.<\/p>\n
Years later, when I was invited to give a talk at my branch library in Minneapolis about my book\u00a0Making a Living Without a Job<\/em><\/strong>, I began by declaring, \u201cThe library is an entrepreneur\u2019s best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n I absolutely meant it.<\/p>\n In every place I\u2019ve lived, I\u2019ve gotten my library card before I got my driver\u2019s license<\/p>\n So it always comes as a surprise to me when I talk to a would-be or struggling entrepreneur and discover that they don\u2019t tap into the treasure trove that\u2019s waiting for them.<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t visited a library for a while or you always head to the same section, check out all the ways a library can help you build your self-employment enterprise.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Nonfiction titles exist on every aspect of starting and running a business. <\/strong>Besides personal accounts and biographies, how-to books abound.<\/p>\n Want to know what all the fuss about branding is? Thinking about selling articles to magazines? Want to tap into new trends? There\u2019s a good chance that somebody has done you the favor of writing about it.<\/p>\n Unlike much of the information you can find online, library books tend to be edited and sources verified which adds to their credibility.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Get inspired with a novel.<\/strong>\u00a0Mysteries, especially, often feature entrepreneurial characters in leading roles. Often these entrepreneurs are amateur detectives as well.<\/p>\n You can learn a lot\u2014almost accidentally\u2014about antiquarian book selling from John Dunning or catering from Diane Mott Davidson while solving a murder or two.<\/p>\n In fact, the main characters of many novels are self-employed which suggests to me that people who work for themselves are simply more interesting.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Make friends with a reference librarian.<\/strong>\u00a0I am certain that if they didn\u2019t love books so much, many of the folks running the library reference desk would be private detectives. They love tracking things down\u2014the harder the better.<\/p>\n Got an idea for a research project? Ask the reference librarian to show you the grant directories. Want to be a public speaker? Inquire about\u00a0Gale\u2019s Encyclopedia of Associations<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0to get ideas. Need statistics for a presentation? The reference desk is a great place to start your search.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Make drive time more valuable.<\/strong>\u00a0My library has an entire room devoted to audio books. Many wonderful fiction and nonfiction titles are available on CD and make fine companions for road trips or while running errands.<\/p>\n As Minnesota Public Radio used to remind me, \u201cGet out of your car smarter than you got in.\u201d Audiobooks can help you do just that.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Visit a new universe.<\/strong>\u00a0Browse in a section you don\u2019t normally explore. Investigate some magazines that you\u2019ve never read before. Spend an hour investigating materials in the reference section.<\/p>\n This is what Seth Godin calls \u201czooming\u201d which he defines as \u201cstretching your limits without threatening your foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00b0 Attend a talk.<\/strong>\u00a0If you have access to a fairly large library, chances are they offer free programs as part of their community service.<\/p>\n My library often features authors talking about their writing careers as well as programs on everything from finding your ancestors to travel talks.<\/p>\n \u00b0 Create an in-depth research project.<\/strong>\u00a0Build a passion into expertise by learning everything you can about a subject. Don\u2019t just dabble; immerse.<\/p>\n Start with your library\u2019s collection and see how far it can take you, but don\u2019t stop there. Enlist the reference librarian to help you uncover addition information that you haven\u2019t found on your own.<\/p>\n Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borge once mused, \u201cI have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.\u201d Fortunately, you don\u2019t have to wait until you get there to experience the pleasure a library can bring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Public libraries have been with me every step of the way in my self-employment journey. I remember visiting the tiny Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, library when I was first dreaming about starting a business. Compared with today, the offerings for would-be\u00a0entrepreneurs were pretty skinny, but reading biographies of several pioneering women entrepreneurs inspired me and helped…<\/p>\n