Sponsored by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library
As a small business owner, every penny counts. Between payroll, rent and other operational costs, it can feel like there’s little room left in the budget for the tools and resources needed to grow your company. What if the key to unlocking significant savings is as simple as your library card?
“Don’t leave money on the table,” says East Baton Rouge Parish Library Assistant Director Mary Stein. “Save your hard-earned dollars for the things you really need to spend it on and let the library’s resources do the heaving lifting.”
Here are just a few examples of how much value local businesses can tap into by leveraging the wealth of digital resources available through the East Baton Rouge Parish Library. The numbers are staggering.
Take Data Axle, for example – the premier business intelligence platform that normally costs a substantial $5,000 per year for a business subscription with limited data exports. Or Statista, a comprehensive market research database with an annual price tag of more than $11,000. These are the kinds of high-powered tools that large-scale organizations use to gain a competitive edge. But thanks to the Library, you can access them for free with your library card.
There’s also LinkedIn Learning, where you can upskill your team on everything from marketing to project management – all without paying the nearly $400 cost for an individual subscription.
“These tools can be used by anyone, whether you want to research the competition, vet a potential client or just brush up on a new skill,” says Andrew Tadman, the Library’s Reference Services Coordinator.
The best part? You don’t even have to navigate these databases on your own. The Library’s team of research experts is ready to do the legwork for you. “Just tell us what you need, and we’ll facilitate the research,” Tadman says. “It’s like having your own in-house data analyst, without the hefty price tag.”
Library patrons can visit ebrpl.libguides.com/smallbusiness to make an appointment.
Business resources available through the Library
Data Axle Reference Solutions: Millions of business and residential listings along with additional information including consumer lifestyle data. Find actionable data for sales prospecting, marketing or research. Through EBRPL, access all modules and get unlimited exports, all at no cost with a library card.
Statista: Comprehensive, reliable statistics and industry and market data, designed to support informed decision-making and strategic planning.
LinkedIn Learning: The premium on-demand training platform for employee training and professional development. It contains over 22,000 expert-led courses.
New York Times, Washington Post & Wall Street Journal: Online versions of these newspapers of record are all available through the EBRPL Digital Library. Popular business magazines such as The Economist, Forbes, Inc.and Fast Company are all available through Pressreader in the Digital Library.
