Are you a budding entrepreneur or small business owner?  Then KBLIC is the place for you!  Enjoy a space for networking and small business meetings. Use our print and electronic resources to research your industry, find customers, and better understand how to market your business.  Put the power of the BPL to work for you, ask one of our skilled librarians to connect you with a local mentor or small business professional to  help guide you to entrepreneurial success.

Small Business Connections:

• Book a Small Business Mentoring Session
• Access one-on-one peer-to-peer guidance from SCORE Boston volunteers
• Get a free legal services consultation from a Goodwin Pro Bono Attorney
• Attend a Grow with Google Small Business workshop
• Attend an upcoming Tech Goes Home Small Business Series course

Online Resource Tools for Small Business Success:

• Review sample business plans with the Gale Virtual Reference Library
• Find customers with AtoZdatabases
• Research your competitors and research industry trends with Mergent Intellect
• Analyze market demand and find demography data with DemographicsNow
• Locate trade & industry periodicals with Gale Business Entrepreneurship
• Check out our extensive collection of small business startup ebooks and audiobooks
• Find these resources and more by visiting our online Business Plans Research Guide

Attend Small Business Workshops & Events:

• Signup for our Adult Learning Newsletter for upcoming events

Are you a jobseeker and need help navigating the employment landscape?  Do you want to make a career change and don’t know what skills employers are looking for?  Or are you returning to the job market and need some advice?  KBLIC offers a selection of resources to help you build a resume, search for employment, and give you the skills you need to land your next  job or explore a new career.

Jobseekers’ Connections:

• Meet one-on-one with a trained librarian for resume and cover letter review
  • Send us an email to ask@bpl.org or leave a voicemail (339) 215-3866 to schedule your session

• Practice interviewing techniques with a trained librarian

Online Resource Tools for Jobseekers’ Success:

• Find a new job or discover a new career with searchable listings for jobs and schools with Gale Presents: Peterson's Career Prep
• Utilize the Job & Career Accelerator from the LearningExpress Library
• Build technology and software knowledge with a LinkedIn Learning tutorial
• Find these resources and more on our Jobseekers’ Research Guide

Attend our Career Development Workshops & Events:

• KBLIC has several career development classes to help you find a new job, advance in your career, or switch careers
• Signup for our Adult Learning Newsletter for upcoming events

KBLIC is here to help you learn how to manage your money, make sure you have enough saved for retirement, and invest it well.

Book a Bloomberg Session to learn more about investing.

Take advantage of the personal finance and investing resources of the Thomas S. Drey Investing Center.  This dedicated space within KBLIC offers a selection of print and digital materials to help you build a better budget, learn about investing, and to help you plan a successful retirement.

Managing Your Money Action Plan:

• During tax season, KBLIC teams up with the Boston Tax Help Coalition to offer free tax preparation and financial check-ups for patrons. During closure, check out the Boston Tax Coalition site for telephone/virtual/drop-off help.
• Screen and find analysis on mutual funds with Morningstar Investment Research Center
• Research companies and follow stock market data with our Bloomberg terminal (unavailable during closure)
• Book a Bloomberg Session to learn more about investing
• Review the City of Boston's Financial Empowerment website to find reliable financial products and services to help you save, grow, and access money.
• Find these resources and more on our Managing Your Money Research Guide

Financial Education:

• Financial Education for Adults - Find out how well you are doing financially, and steps you can take to improve
• MyMoney.gov - Helps you find federal government-supported research and data to help with you financial education
• Kirstein also has booklists to help you learn about investing, budgeting, credit, and more.

Attend Personal Finance & Investor Resources Workshops & Events:

• Signup for our Adult Learning Newsletter for upcoming events

Do you have and an invention you’d like to patent,  or have a logo you want to find out how to trademark? Take advantage of the resources available to you from our Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC).  KBLIC is part of a nationwide network of public, state, and academic libraries designated by the United States Patent Office (USPTO) to support the public with trademark and patent assistance. Our space has trained staff to help guide you through the Intellectual Property process.

Resource Tools for Inventors’ Success:

• Book time on our dedicated patent computer (not available during closure)
• Access to resources such as patent examiner-based search systems PubEAST and PubWEST,
• Receive guidance on the patent application process and fee schedule
• Review materials to assist you in researching Patents, Trademarks, & Copyrights
• Email us to book a 1-on-1 Patent & Trademark Reference Appointments
• Find these resources and more on our Intellectual Property Research Guide

Attend Patent & Trademark Resource Center Workshops & Events

• Signup for our Adult Learning Newsletter for upcoming events

KBLIC offers a suite of resources to help nonprofits and individuals find grant money for their projects.

Key Funding Your Project Resources:

• Search for grants from foundations with our Foundation Directory Online Resource
  • Search over 16,810,000 grants, 136,500 foundations, and 1,009,000 recipients
  • Use Foundation Maps to see funding opportunities visually.
  • Find scholarships, fellowships and awards for students, artists, and researchers with Grants to Individuals Online
  • Email us to schedule a concierge search
• Remote Online Access during closure to Foundation Directory Online Essential
• Take a nonprofit essentials webinar training via LinkedIn Learning

Attend Grant Seeking & Philanthropy Workshops & Events

• Signup for our Adult Learning Newsletter for upcoming events

You can submit a reference request for business research, and someone will get back to you soon.

Check out our Business Research Guides and Business Databases.