General Information
Take a look at a selection of the small business resources found in the Career Center. Found in the main Reference Collection and the Career Center, these resources can help you start, run, and manage your small business. Internet links are provided to resources outside the library.
Print Resources
Start Your Own Business and Hire Yourself. Suzanne Caplan. JIST Works, 2010.
Career 658.1141 Caplan
The Wall Street Journal Complete Small Business Guidebook. Colleen DeBaise. Three Rivers Press, 2009.
Career 658.022 DeBaise
Small Business Sourcebook. Gale, 2006. Covers all aspects of starting and running a small business.
Ref. 658.022 Small 2006, vol. 1 & 2
Encyclopedia of Small Business. Gale, 2002.
Ref. 658.022 Encyclopedia, vol. 1 & 2
How to Set Up Your Own Small Business. American Institute of Small Business.
Ref. 658 How 2007, vol. 1 & 2
Career 658 How 2005, vol. 1 & 2
The Complete Guide to Working for Yourself: Everything the Self-Employed Need to Know About
Taxes, Recordkeeping, and Other Laws. Beth Williams. Atlantic Publishing Group, 2008.
Career 658.041 Williams
The Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business. Fred Steingold. Nolo Press, 2008.
Career 346.7306 Legal
Start Your Own Business : the Only Start-up Book You'll Ever Need. Rieva Lesonsky. Entrepreneur Media, 2007.
Career 658.041 Start
How to Start a Business in Massachusetts. Entrepreneur Press, 2007.
Career 658.107 How
Online Resources
Small Business Reference Center - Accessible in the Career Center, the Reference Room, and remotely to Jones Library card holders, this database provides a wealth of information about small business, including business topics, business types, sample business plans, and "how to" information.
ReferenceUSA - Accessible in the Career Center, the Reference Room, and remotely to Jones Library card holders, this is a database containing information on over 13 million US businesses. Searches can be done by region and industry.
InfoTrac General Business File ASAP - Accessible at the library or remotely with a C/W MARS library card. Provides information on company performance and industry trends by searching broker repoorts, trade publications, newspapers and company directory profiles.
InfoTrac OneFile - Accessible at the library or remotely with a C/W MARS library card. Provides millions of full text articles on a variety of subjects.
Websites
U.S. Small Business Association - Federal resource to counsel, assist, and aid small business owners in starting, financing, and managing their business.
SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) - Provides mentoring and assistance from experienced business executives.
A Basic Guide to Exporting - By the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, provides a basic step-by-step introduction to exporting. The 1998 edition is available free online here. There is a 2008 edition available for purchase.
Center for Women & Enterprise - Provides education, training, technical assistance, and access to capital for women entrepreneurs.
Business Owner's Toolkit - Offers a range of small business guides and business tools for small business owners. Membership is free and includes additional resources.
Western Massachusetts Regional Small Business Development Center - Provides guidance, information and support for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Western Massachusetts.
Center for Small Business and the Environment - The mission of this nonprofit is to work with small business to promote environmental protection.
Ecopreneurist - This website provides advice on social and sustainable entrepreneurship.
AllBusiness - From Dun & Bradstreet, this site contains a good deal of timely business information, including general management and other business advisory information.
SmallBiz - From Business Week, resources and articles for the small business owner.
Entrepreneur.com - Offers a range of helpful information and links for the small business entrepreneur.
SBDCNet - A national information clearinghouse connecting the Small Business Development Center community. Their Small Business Information Center provides links to a wealth of small business information.
Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce - A local link to the organization that supports and promotes business in Amherst, as well as supporting civic, educational, and recreational events.
Valley Community Development Corporation - A local nonprofit microenterprise development corporation providing assistance and training to small business owners in the Valley.