Reaching Out with Business-Related Information

Bill Erbes

Over the past several years, the Bensenville community at large has expressed an ever-increasing need for access to business information. Over the last seven years, the number of businesses licensed to operate in Bensenville grew by over 12.5%. With formation of the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce, the Bensenville business community has begun to unite and to become an entity with which to be reckoned.

Within the library, the Adult Services Department witnessed a general increase in the number of business-related questions asked at the reference desk. More importantly, the staff was aware of an increase in the number of business related questions that had to be referred elsewhere.

In the Fall of 1997, the Bensenville Community Public Library hosted a breakfast at the library for Chamber members. The goal of the breakfast was to reach out to the business community, acquaint individuals with library programs, services, and resources, and determine the needs of the business community that were not being met. As a result of that meeting, several concerns were identified: (1) the library's business hours were the same as many businesses, and therefore inconvenient; (2) the library, due to limited funds, did not subscribe to business journals, newsletters, and the like; (3) due to the ever changing nature of the business community, business directories in the library's collection were often outdated before they even reached the shelf; (4) information on small, private service companies, the Chamber members' main interest, was generally not available in the library.

Unique to the Bensenville Community Public Library District is its participation in the Bensenville Intergovernmental Group (BIG). BIG is a team, composed of the elected officials and administrators of the Village of Bensenville, the Bensenville Park District, the Bensenville Community Public Library District, Bensenville Elementary School District #2, and Fenton High School District #100. When BIG originally formed, they met for a two-day strategic planning session and concluded that they needed to obtain citizen input in order to determine the needs of Bensenville residents. Consequetly, a Community Needs Assessment was conducted to survey the population. The residents' recommendations contributing to BIG's Strategic Issue Priority #1 included the following: (1) develop a plan to support, retain, and attract local retail establishments in the community; (2) initiate an industrial advisory group to provide a vehicle for local industries to communicate what they need and want from the area; (3) explore possibilities for more cooperation between industries and government.

In May of 1992, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and the Bensenville Community Public Library District entered a joint venture in order to provide the Bensenville Job Search Club as a service to the community. With Judy McGah from IDEA as a facilitator, the Job Search Club met at the library every Friday morning for six years. Members had the opportunity to network, to view job listings posted by IDES, and to brush up on job search skills. Although the Bensenville Job Search Club was eventually combined with another job club and relocated to a nearby suburb due to staff shortages at IDES, club members, as well as other individuals seeking employment, continued to use our library resources to make decisions about career changes and to plan for employment interviews. Accordingly, the need for accurate and current business information became a priority for serving those patrons.

Given all of these indicators, the library's conclusion was that the acquisition of Web access to Infotrac's General BusinessFile ASAP would greatly benefit our community. With this product, round-the-clock Internet access to current, reliable business information would become a reality. General BusinessFile ASAP was chosen in light of its ability to expand the library beyond the library walls, to provide information both

* Bill Erbes, Assistant Director, Bensenville Community Public Library District.

40

day and night, and to reach a new group of users, namely, individuals who did not normally enter the library doors. Further, the installation of a computer station at the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce, the first place businesses generally turn for community-based business information as well as other industrial trends, would strengthen the library's ties to the Chamber, help advertise the wealth of information available through the public library, and demonstrate a genuine commitment on the part of the library to serve the Bensenville business community at large. As an added benefit, by placing publicity materials at the Bensenville Park District, at the offices of the Village of Bensenville, and at Fenton High School district #10, the library would strengthen already existing partnerships within the community and provide the business-related information that is vital to keep Bensenville growing, prospering, and learning. Finally, by providing one-on-one training for "trainers" at the sites mentioned above, the library would demonstrate its commitment to making a difference in the community, a community of life-long learners.

This project was directly related to LSTA goal #4: To develop training methods and activities that will allow library personnel and Illinois citizens to become technologically literate and to have full access to information available through libraries. After targeting a specific audience, the business community, and after working to determine their specific needs, the Bensenville Library concluded that the best means of meeting those needs would be through the web based version of Infotrac's General BusinessFile ASAP. The acquisition of that product would provide access to information by way of the Internet. Such access would be prohibitively expensive through traditional print sources.

The acquisition of the web-based version of the General BusinessFile ASAP would also provide an opportunity for library personnel to improve their database searching skills. In utilizing this new technology, the library would be promoting the use of technology for educational purposes rather than for the sake of technology alone. Further, beyond merely promoting technology, the library would also be training patrons in its use. Training would include individuals at the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Bensenville, the Bensenville Park District, and Fenton High School District #100.

The most difficult problem encountered with the implementation of this grant project was the resignation, early-on, of the grant coordinator. It was necessary to assign a different staff member to assume the responsibilities of implementing the grant, and this resulted in some unpreventable delays. The original deadlines for implementation were pushed back by about four weeks, and the project was still completed by the end of the grant period.

The following was accomplished:

• A new computer was purchased for installation at the office of the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce.

• A computer-dedicated phone line was installed at the office of the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce.

• A contract was executed between the Bensenville Community Public Library District and Information Access, Inc., for a subscription to General BusinessFile ASAP.

• Publicity brochures were developed in-house and distributed both at the library and through a mailing to all members of the Chamber of Commerce. Publicity articles were also prepared for the Village newsletter.

• Training sessions were held for officials of the Chamber of Commerce and for officials of the Village of Bensenville, the Bensenville Park District, and Fenton High School District #100.

It should be noted that the Bensenville Community Public Library District hosts a community computing network, CLeaRNET, that allows web access on a dial up basis to all residents of the library district. Because of this. Chamber members are able to dial into the database from their homes and offices. Those without personal machines can (and do) use the machine that was purchased for the Chamber office.

Overall, the project has been remarkably successful. Training sessions have been well-attended, the database is "hit" on a very regular basis, and response from the business community has been very positive. Adult services librarians, all trained in use of the database, use it on an almost daily basis to respond to business-related queries from all sources, not just Chamber members.

It is the intention of the Bensenville Community Public Library to now assume the on-going costs of

41

maintaining the database yearly subscription fee and to re print a supply of updated brochures. The project will be re-publicized at this year's annual Chamber Breakfast at the Library, and it is likely that even more users will be recruited.

42