When times are tough, turn to the library.
That’s the pitch from the King County Library System, which is opening its doors an hour early this week to help people who are struggling during the recession.
Small-business owners are among those specifically targeted for assistance, along with folks who have been laid off, are looking for a job and those who are struggling with bills.
During the first two hours of the day, librarians are available to help guide business owners to online and print resources, including books that offer legal advice for starting and running a business, and how-to books for everything from marketing to bookkeeping.
Some of the online resources can be found here.
Small-business owners are hurting along with nearly everyone else during this recession. In order to survive, some have been forced to cut workers, shift product lines or renegotiate rents.
Still, there are some hopeful signs. The New York Times reported this spring that the owners of a group of small businesses it has been tracking since October were expressing some optimism. This Business Week article predicts that most small businesses will survive the recession.
And Tom Donahue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, says that small businesses - which generate 60 to 80 percent of net new job growth - will pave the road to recovery.
The King County library's “Look to Your Library” events are free and open to the public.
For more information, visit http://www.kcls.org
