While American Libraries is busy searching for its new podcast host, we thought we’d dip into the vault and re-air some of our most popular episodes. Today we’re replaying Episode 35, “Fostering New Businesses,” which originally aired in February 2019. Three years ago, we released this installment to coincide with National Entrepreneurship Week, which this year is being observed February 12–19. The advice in this episode is relevant to trends libraries have been seeing during the pandemic: small businesses are looking for assistance, libraries are pivoting their business resources to the online environment, and many people who lost or quit jobs are turning to entrepreneurship for the first time. In this episode, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski interviews Amy Fisher, information and reader services manager, and Morgan Perry, business outreach specialist, both from Mid-Continent Public Library in Missouri. They talk about the how the library’s Square One Business Services program helps the community, including a growing food business sector. Next, former Call Number host Phil Morehart speaks with Roosevelt Weeks, director of Austin Public Library in Texas. They discuss how the library’s entrepreneurship programs complement the city’s vibrant start-up scene.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related