Make the most of our services: borrow library books and other materials, reserve meeting rooms or space in the Studio, check out our new Makerplace, access business databases remotely, register for business or technology classes and apply for a business library card.

Schedule an appointment with an advisor to connect you to resources and provide instruction on using the library's business databases for market research, contact lists and more. Make an Appointment 

On-demand viewing for some programs are available on the library's YouTube channel. Check out these programs and more.

• Best Practices in Preparing Targeted Grant Proposals; Ellen Stone, Nonprofit Consultant
• Grow Your Small Business with a Strategic Marketing Plan; Cheri Kretsinger, Polaris Marketing Group & SBDC Business Advisor
• Get Funded! Capital for Your Business; Abigail Scanlan, WBDC Director for Access to Capital

The library’s Tech a la Carte program offers private technology training sessions for groups of 6-12 people. Contact us with the class you are interested in, the number of people in your group and a few date options. A business library card is required to schedule a class and the person scheduling must be listed on the card. The remaining attendees do not need to be cardholders. A list of classes is available here.

It's a no-brainer that FREE resources and programs abound at the library for those in small business. In addition, there are other no-cost activities and guides in the community and online that are too good to overlook.

• National Small Business Week Virtual Summit 2021; View recorded webinars here
• Money Smart Week 2021; View recorded webinars here
• U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance 
• Cook County Community Recovery Initiative
• Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Free Workshops Calendar
• SBA Learning Center
• Illinois SBDC no-cost webinars and advisory appointments Register
• Safety Awareness Training through Harper College Business Services Register
• Illinois Small Business Resource Guide
• Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO)
• WBDC Webinars
• WBDC Business Advising
• Ascent: A Free Learning Platform for Women Entrepreneurs
• Grow With Google
• SCORE on-demand webinars
• Candid Learning

In this climate of uncertainty and crisis, it’s hard to overstate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nonprofits and small business. This page provides up-to-date information and resources from the local to federal level.

• Business Disaster Resources

Numerous organizations, in addition to the library, are available to help you with all aspects of your business- from startup requirements to finance, marketing and everything in between.

• Village of Arlington Heights Business & Economic Development
• Arlington Heights Business Resource Guide
• Village of Arlington Heights Business Newsletter
• Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce
• Illinois SBDC at Harper College
• SCORE North Cook and Lake Counties 
• U.S. Small Business Administration
• Tax Information for Business
• ChiBizHub Chicago Business Resources & Startup Assistance
• First Stop Business Information Center

The Business eNewsletter offers library resources, program information and other updates for entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofits. Read the latest issue here and subscribe below to receive it through email every other month. 

SUBSCRIBE

Recent archived issues:

July 2021

Meet other readers and join us for thought-provoking discussions. From new bestsellers to long-established titles, these discussions cover topics to support advancement in your personal and professional development. If you need a copy of a book, place one on hold online, stop by the Info Desk, call 847-392-0100 or check out an eBook. Currently, our Business Book Discussion will take place as a virtual program using the Zoom platform; register to receive the Zoom link. Happy Reading!

The library offers a variety of resources to assist with starting and managing a nonprofit organization. As a Foundation Information Network (FIN) Partner, we offer a premier prospect research tool for grant-seekers, Foundation Directory Online (FDO). FDO combines comprehensive data with simple search tools help you efficiently meet fundraising goals. Also available is the Foundation Grants to Individuals database which provides details on funders for scholarships, fellowships, and grants. An FDO Essentials Day Pass allows limited access remotely. Information can be found here. 

Check out Candid Learning which is a one-stop site for on-demand trainings, webinars, and other resources designed to improve your fundraising, overall sustainability, grantmaking, and transparency.

Get started with this free Nonprofit Startup Assessment and these free webinars: Intro to Finding Grants and Intro to Foundation Directory Online.

Other resources:

• A Guide for Organizing Not-for-Profit Organizations
• How Do I Start a Nonprofit Organization?
• DonorBox Nonprofit Blog
• IssueLab

Learn from SCORE, the nation's largest network of volunteer business mentors, a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

SCORE offers free, confidential mentoring by volunteers who have experience in all aspects of business. Whether you're just getting started or you've been in business over 20 years, there are mentors who can answer critical questions and provide guidance with regard to your business.

Arlington Heights Memorial Library partners with SCORE to provide entrepreneurs and small business owners easy access to free advising sessions. Individual one-hour appointments are available on the first and fourth Thursdays of each month at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., and on the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Make an Appointment

In addition to our Business Databases, there are numerous free on-line resources that can help you with planning and growing your business.

The U.S. Census Bureau does more than collect demographic data. It also produces economic data across the entire economy on a monthly, quarterly, yearly, and five-year basis. This data aids small business owners to build business plans, determine the best location for a new business, better understand their potential market, and assess the overall economic health of their community. 

• Explore Census Data: Learn more about using the Explore Census Data tool in this free webinar.
• Census Business Builder (CBB): A suite of services that provide selected demographic and economic data from the Census Bureau tailored to specific types of users in a simple to access and use format. This tool will help you determine the best location for your business. To learn more about these tools, watch this free webinar.
• NAICS Lookup NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) helps group similar business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the economy.
• Economic Census The economic census serves as the foundation for the measurement of U.S. businesses and their economic impact. 
• County Business Patterns CBP is an annual series that provides subnational economic data by industry. 
• Annual Business Survey (ABS) The ABS Program combines data results from survey respondents and administrative records to  produce data on business ownership.

Business and nonprofit organizations in Arlington Heights are eligible for business library cards. 

At the Checkout Desk, simply complete an application and submit a business card or other document to confirm an Arlington Heights address. The business owner or primary managing agent is required to sign the application. Two additional employees can be added to the account. You can apply for a temporary library card here.

Business library cards are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. You can repeat the above process when your business library card expires or submit your renewal request to the Checkout Desk on business stationery with the names of up to three employees authorized to use the business card, by email to circquestion@ahml.info or by sending your request to:

Circulation Services Department, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights, IL 60004.

All overdue items must be returned and all outstanding charges must be paid before the card will be renewed.

Renew your business library card here