Here’s some great news for anyone who loves to find business information online for free. Got your attention? Good! CCPL has added two new database to our Business & Financial Research Tools section.
Small Business Resource Center
First up is one of Discus’ new databases, Small Business Resource Center. Since this database comes to us courtesy of the SC State Library, if you are a South Carolina resident, everyone who lives in SC can access the site via his or her local public library. So if you live outside of Charleston County, check with your area public library for access. This database offers a wealth of information for anyone who owns or is planning to start a small business, and it’s very easy to use. All of the information comes from trade journal articles and reference book sections, so it’s trustworthy. Once you login, look for the 4 big buttons on the right side of the screen. Here’s what you can find under each one:
Business Topics will link to the database’s contents arranged by topic, like Pricing, Market Research, and Business Planning (all very popular topics).
Business Types will pull out the information (like business plans & articles in trade journals) on specific businesses, such as coffeehouses, restaurants, or specialty stores.
Sample Business Plans…can you believe it? It currently has 318 business plans from Business Plans Handbook. 
As you may remeber from a previous post, these are real life plans from actual businesses, which makes them more helpful in my view.
How To… lists 8 of the most common scary-big questions people might have, including how to start a small business, finance a business, market a business, etc. If you click a question, it displays trade journal articles and overviews from reference books on that topic. It doesn’t answer the questions directly, but it does guide you to information that can help you find out what you need to know.
DemographicsNow
DemographicsNow is great if you need to look for demographics and aren’t sure where to start. This product takes has data from several sources, notably the most recent Census, and produces current estimates and projects future changes a few years into the future. It’s also really easy to search. You narrow down what geographical or statistical area you’re looking at by clicking a series of check boxes, then you choose the demographics you want to include. It then creates an awesome looking customized report on the fly including graphs and charts! Wow!
We’re pleased to be able to expand our business sources so that it’s more convenient for you to access the information you need to work effectively. With so many subjects out there to cover, it’s exciting to add two online business sources at once. For instructions on how to access the databases, click on over to the Research Tools section of ccpl.org!
