New Businesses & Nonprofits Page

The library redesigned our website in April to reflect new branding, an all-in-one search bar (catalog, advanced search, articles, site search), an updated My Account display, as well as better organization, and improved colors and fonts. As part of this update, our Businesses & Nonprofits page now also has a fresh new look!

Located under the Services tab on our website and on mobile devices, this page has a cleaner, more accessible design that offers the same valuable resources if you're looking to start or maintain a business and/or search for information about nonprofits or grants.

In addition, we now include upcoming programs, and our online resources are easier to find. We hope you enjoy the new Businesses & Nonprofits page!

LEARNING & NETWORKING

Resource Hour: SCORE Business Mentoring

Wednesdays, May 13 and June 10, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

First Floor

A volunteer from SCORE North Chicago and Lake Counties will visit to answer questions about your entrepreneurial endeavors and provide information about SCORE resources for start-ups, small business owners and nonprofit professionals.

Small Business Coffee and Connect

Tuesday, May 19, 9-10:30 a.m.

Hendrickson Room

Connect with members of your local small business community. Meet with other professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders in small business and nonprofits at this bimonthly networking event. Come to share ideas, get inspired and make valuable connections! Refreshments will be provided.

Starting a Business in Illinois

Thursday, June 11, 7-8 p.m.

Zoom

Do you have the personal characteristics, the financial fitness and the business readiness skills to own a business? Find out if entrepreneurship is right for you. Learn about the critical steps to opening your own business including viability, business formation, financing and more.

This event is co-hosted by the Illinois Small Business Development Center.

NEW BOOKS

We are always adding new books related to business and nonprofits. Check out these must-read selections:

Solopreneur Business for Dummies

by Joe Rando, Carly Ries

Unlike entrepreneurs, solopreneurs typically create their businesses to serve their lives, instead of scaling as much as possible. To thrive, you'll need to understand the basics of business operations, financial management, sales, and marketing, all without burning yourself out.

AI in Business for Dummies

by Jeffrey Allan

AI researcher and consultant Jeffrey Allan delivers clear insight into how to best put artificial intelligence to work in your company. You'll learn how to build the latest AI tech in your business strategies, as well as discover real-world examples of effective AI implementations in tasks like workflow automation, closing sales, handling data analytics and driving innovation.

Your Best Meeting Ever: 7 Principles for Designing Meetings That Get Things Done

by Rebecca Hinds

Hinds offers a bold, battle-tested blueprint for tackling the workplace's biggest timewasters: meetings. Drawing on decades of research and stories from leading companies like Google, Salesforce, Pixar and YouTube, Hinds provides a blueprint to transform your meetings from monotonous, soul-crushing time sinks into powerful tools for collaboration.