They are hosting a workshop called How To Land a Great Job.  Get an insider’s look at what employers are want to see in top job candidates.  A member of the South Carolina Federal Credit Union’s recruiting team will cover job search secrets, resume and interview tips, and more.

When: Tuesday, March 19th from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Where: Otranto Road Regional Library

For details, contact Otranto’s staff at 572-4094.

If this sounds like you, head on down to the Main Library next Tuesday, February 28th from 6-7:30 P.M. for our joint program with SCORE called “Are You Ready to Start A Small Business?”  Hank Cardarelli and I will share information that can help you figure out if you’re ready to break out on your own.

Registration isn’t required for this free event.  If you have questions, give us a call at 805-6930 or contact us via our Ask-A-Question service.

12:05 PM Michael is explaining PATH – Palmetto Technology Hub is a nonprofit that serves as an Internet help desk for other nonprofits.

Why we’re here? Money’s tight; we need to get more done with less. Nonprofits frequently don’t know what to even ask for on the technology front.

We’re going to talk about hardware, software, social media, people, resources today.

Hardware:

• Care & Maintenance is critical.
• Simple things: memory and ventilation.
• Recommended: once a year, have a day when you pull the PC out from the wall, look at the back, clean out all the dust.  Blow compressed air into it.  Keep pets and food away from the CPU.
• When you have to buy something new, don’t buy the cheapest.  Get the most you can on your budget.  It will last longer and serve you better.
• Get a good FREE antivirus program.  Right now, that’s Microsoft Security Essentials.
•  Recommended: once a year, take care of the registry and temporary files. Options: CCleaner and GlaryUtilities.com
• Your Internet: check your speed and contract at least every 2 years somewhere like speakeasy.net/speedtest
• Secure the WiFi.  You are securing your clients & donor’s information, and if someone is wardriving on your network they’re sucking up your speed/bandwidth
• Don’t forget about physical security.  Tag your equipment, have it physically secured
• Disaster recovery – 3 2 1 strategy: 3 copies, 2 media, 1 offsite ( multiple redundant online backups)
• Offsite backup, try something like mozy.com, or crashplan.org.  There are other good ones, too, these are just 2.  This is NOT expensive…from free to $60 a year

Space is limited; to register for the workshop, please call 805-6930.

Where: Meeting Room B, Main Library, 68 Calhoun St
When: Tuesday, November 8th from 12 – 1:15 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

You’ll learn:

• what email marketing is and why and how it works
• components of an effective email marketing campaign
• how email marketing can meet your needs
• case studies of successful email marketing campaigns
• email marketing best practices and tips

All information provided can be applied regardless of the system or service you are using for email marketing.

Our presenter is Anissa Freeman Starnes, the Regional Development Director for Constant Contact in the Carolinas.  Anissa is a small business expert with 19 years of experience in nonprofit management, fund development and sponsorship management.  She has a background as a successful small business owner and CEO of an international nonprofit organization.  Anissa is passionate about helping small businesses and organizations grow customer, member, and donor relationships through their use of email marketing.

Where: Main Library Auditorium, 68 Calhoun Street
When: Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 from 6-8 p.m.

Registration is not required for this event, but if you can preregister at http://tinyurl.com/register824 if you like.  As always this program is free and open to the public.

Hope to see you there!

I’m happy to report that the next help session will be held on Tuesday, August 2nd from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.  Cornelia Carrier will be available for editing & review of resumes & cover letters on a first come, first served basis.

More details about CCPL’s August business events are coming soon!

Counselors will be available on the 2nd floor of the Main Library from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, July 13th and July 27th.

For SCORE’s full counseling schedule or to ask SCORE a question, head over to their website or call (843) 727-4778.

Today was one of those days.  The tool we found is called MyBestSegments.  This site from The Neilsen Corporation gives you a quick & dirty look at the major market segments within a specific ZIP code.

Here’s how to do it:  Head to the lookup page.  Enter your 5-digit ZIP code and choose which market segmentation system you want to use (your choices are Prizm, P$YCLE, or ConneXions).  Fill out the security block & click Submit.

MyBestSegments' PRIZM result for 29401

Neat, huh?

For more information on how to use MyBestSegments, check their FAQ page.

If you’d like to know more about how market segmentation itself works, head over to our ebook edition of the Encyclopedia of Small Business.  (If the direct link doesn’t work for you, go to our Online Research Library, open the Encyclopedia of Small Business search for the phrase market segmentation.)

Independent consultants are doing a Strategic Plan to assess CCPL’s operations and find out what YOU want from your local library. This is your chance to be heard and your chance to make a difference in CCPL’s future.

Please join us at one of the Community Meetings:

When: Monday, May 9th at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Dorchester Road Regional Library AND Mt. Pleasant Regional Library

When: Tuesday, May 10th at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Otranto Road Regional Library

When: Wednesday, May 11th at 6:30 p.m.
Where: St. Andrews Regional Library

When: Thursday, May 12th at 6:30 p.m.
Where: John’s Island Regional Library

If you can’t make it to a meeting, simply email your ideas to
letusknow@ccpl.org or fill out our online feedback form.  Thanks for your help!