Small Business Resource Center

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Explore Resources, Networking, and Classes at the Small Business Resource Center.


The Small Business Resource Center holds an extensive collection of print and digital materials and serves as a collaborative space for brainstorming and networking.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our Entrepreneurs in Residence –  please contact Steve Semaya and include your phone number and preferred contact method, at ssemaya@fergusonlibrary.org.

In addition to the small business collection, the library hosts classes on topics related to small business and networking.

CT.gov: Business


A one-stop-shop where entrepreneurs can easily find information and create a checklist with everything required to start up or manage a business in Connecticut. Click here to access.

Small Business Hub


The Small Business Hub research guide from the Library of Congress is designed to highlight where to start, no matter what stage of business you’re in. Each topical page features a few recommended books, free websites, and subscription databases. Additionally, we’ve included links to our in-depth research guides and strategies for solving your business information needs.

Best of the Best Business Reference Websites


Business Reference Experts Select Annual List of Best of the Best Business Reference Websites

The annual Best of the Best Business Reference Websites list was announced today by the Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS) Education Committee.

The list made its first debut in 2009 in Reference and User Services Quarterly (RUSQ), RUSA’s research journal, and recognizes three websites highly relevant to information professionals involved in providing business reference services. The list includes:

worldbank.org/en/businessready

The World Bank’s new Business Ready (B-READY) site benchmarks the business and investment climate across economies, replacing the former Doing Business report. The complete open-source data set and a reproducibility package are provided. The B-READY methodology evaluates economies by assessing ten topics, such as Business Entry, Labor, Financial Services and International Trade, and organizes this analysis around three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency.

The strengths of this free resource include a broader, more balanced methodology and integration of de jure and de facto data (considering laws and regulations, as well as how they are implemented), while also incorporating themes of digitalization, sustainability, and gender. There are some limitations regarding initial country coverage and ongoing concerns from civil society organizations, including NGOs, labor unions, and advocacy groups, about inclusivity and labor standards. The first release covers 50 economies, with plans to expand to more than 100 in 2025 and nearly 180 by 2026, refining methodology and data collection in future editions.

Published by the World Bank
Free
Reviewed April 23, 2025

projects.propublica.org/nonprofits

ProPublica’s free Nonprofit Explorer provides comprehensive, searchable access to tax filings from over 3 million tax-exempt organizations in the United States. This powerful database allows users to search, browse, and download Form 990 filings dating back to 2013, offering unparalleled transparency into nonprofit operations. The interface includes user-friendly search capabilities by organization name, location, or EIN, while also offering filtering by organization type, revenue size, and filing year.

ProPublica regularly updates the database as new filings become available from the IRS, ensuring researchers have access to the most current information about tax-exempt entities. The combination of comprehensive data coverage, intuitive design, and powerful analytical capabilities makes Nonprofit Explorer an indispensable resource for business librarians, nonprofit researchers, grant writers, and anyone seeking transparency in the nonprofit sector.

Published by ProPublica
Free
Reviewed March 28, 2025

dataqualityliteracy.org/a-guidebook

This ebook equips information professionals, researchers, and students with the skills to critically evaluate data quality. It was developed as a deliverable of an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funded project. The edited volume is based on a series of national forum webinars which were compiled and enhanced with infographics and supplementary materials. The guidebook covers various aspects of data quality literacy, including quality assurance in data creation, governmental and commercial data, data reproducibility and preservation, and more. This resource is invaluable for librarians involved in data literacy instruction, researchers seeking to strengthen their understanding of research data, and anyone striving to become more discerning data users.

Published by Grace Liu, Bobray Bordelon, Rashelle Nagar, Uyen Nguyen, Jordan Sarti, and Jennifer C. Boettcher
Free as an ebook; Print-on-demand paperback: $15.53
Reviewed March 6, 2025

aiexpertnetwork.notion.site/AI-Transformation-Case-Studies-779878d924fa466186071b7939d7599a

The “AI Transformation Case Studies” Notion workspace, published by AI Expert Network (AIX), expands its “AI in Action” newsletter and Substack. The site provides a free, curated repository of business AI implementation examples. AIX is a global organization connecting businesses with AI professionals. This collection of case studies addresses the scarcity of documented real-world business AI deployments. The collection provides over 200 case studies indexed by company, industry, use case, and technology. Each case study presents structured information including company approach, implementation, challenges, results, takeaways, and referenced sources.

Published by AI Expert Network (AIX)
Free
Reviewed February 26, 2025

Note: The Best of the Best Business Reference Websites selection is made by the BRASS Education Committee. Emily Mross, Penn State University Libraries, Chair. Committee Members: Genifer Snipes, University of Oregon; Jennilyn Wiley, Auburn University; Alan Witt, SUNY Geneseo; Alice Kalinowski, Stanford University; Anna Milholland, The College of William and Mary; Christopher Sturgeon, University of South Florida; Edward Junhao Lim, University of Connecticut; Emily Da Silva, University of Ottawa; Kate Cummings, University of Scranton; Sarah J. Hammill, Florida International University; Tim Tully, San Diego State University; Laureen Cantwell-Jurkovic, Colorado Mesa University; Rebecca Maniates, New York University Abu Dhabi; Terrence O’Neill, Michigan State University.

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more at rusaupdate.org.

 


 

Resources for Small Business

ABI/Inform

ABI/Inform logo

Comprises ABI/INFORM Global, Trade & Industry, and Dateline databases, with thousands of full-text articles on business and trade.

Access Resource

Best's Library Center

AM Best logo

Best's Library Center - Find insurance companies and access in-depth analysis and commentary on insurance companies rated by AM Best. (Only available on-site at the Ferguson Library.)

Access Resource (in library only)

CareerConneCT

CareerConneCT Logo

CareerConneCT is for everyone. Whether you’re looking to get back into the workforce or get your first job, CareerConneCT offers reskilling and upskilling. Opportunities include short-term certificate training programs to job-seekers of all ages where you can earn industry-recognized credentials in as little as 5 to 12 weeks; and get connected to employers ready to hire you right away!

Access Resource

Census Bureau

Census Bureau logo

Census Bureau - Comprehensive data from the U.S. Census, providing information on the nation's people and economy including the Decennial Census of Population and Housing and the American Community Survey.

Access Resource

EDGAR

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission logo

 

The Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) system provides access to domestic and foreign company filings from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Access Resource

 


 

One Day I'll Work for Myself: The Dream and Delusion That Conquered America

One Day I'll Work for Myself: The Dream and Delusion That Conquered America

From side-hustlers to start-ups, freelancers to small business owners, Americans have a special affinity for people who make it on their own. But the dream has a dark side. "One day I'll work for myself." Perhaps you've heard some version of that phrase from friends, colleagues, family members—perhaps you've said it yourself. If so, you're not alone. The spirit of entrepreneurship runs deep in American culture and history, in the films we watch and the books we read, in our political rhetoric, and in the music piping through our speakers. What makes the dream of self-employment so alluring, so pervasive in today's world? Benjamin C. Waterhouse offers a provocative argument: the modern cult of the hustle is a direct consequence of economic failures—bad jobs, stagnant wages, and inequality—since the 1970s. With original research, Waterhouse traces a new narrative history of business in America, populated with vivid characters—from the activists, academics, and work-from-home gurus who hailed business ownership as our economic salvation to the upstarts who took the plunge. We meet, among others, a consultant who quits his job and launches a wildly popular beer company, a department store saleswoman who founds a plus-size bra business on the Internet, and an Indian immigrant in Texas who flees the corporate world to open a motel. Some flourish; some squeak by. Some fail. As Waterhouse shows, the go-it-alone movement that began in the 1970s laid the political and cultural groundwork for today's gig economy and its ethos: everyone should be their own boss. While some people find success in that world, countless others are left bouncing from gig to gig—exploited, underpaid, or conned by get-rich-quick scams. And our politics doesn't know how to respond. Accessible, fast-paced, and eye-opening, One Day I'll Work for Myself offers a fresh, insightful cultural history of the U.S. economy from the perspective of the people within it, asking urgent questions about why we're clinging to old strategies for progress—and at what cost.

Self-Made Boss: Advice, Hacks, and Lessons from Small Business Owners

Self-Made Boss: Advice, Hacks, and Lessons from Small Business Owners

From popular startup support company Square comes practical, proven advice to help you launch, manage, and grow your small business Leaders of large businesses rely on boards and their managers for guidance, but entrepreneurs like you have few, if any, experienced advisors to count on. Now, Self-Made Boss provides the community of advisors you need to help make the right decisions every time. Drawn from real-life stories directly from Square's Seller's Community, which is composed of millions of small businesses, the book shows you exactly what works and what doesn't. Told through the eyes of small business owners, Self-Made Boss is filled with rich, colorful examples, and valuable lessons. These are the lessons you learn only when you're an entrepreneur. They include a second-generation ice cream shop owner on how to manage price increases; a NYC restaurant owner on how to hire and manage employees; a Black female roofer on how to break through in a male dominated industry; a dentist who is transitioning out of his business; and stylist who quit her corporate job to pursue her passion. These entrepreneurs share all the things you learn on the job and wish you knew before you started your business. The book provides answers to important questions on a wide variety of topics, including: turning a personal passion or side hustle into a career, setting up your business for success, getting the word out and building loyalty, building the right team, how to transition out of your business and much more. With Self-Made Boss you have everything you need to make life and business decisions with knowledge, insight, and confidence.