The Steps to Starting Businesses and Building Better Lives Begin at CCPL
September 2018
Writer // Janelle Morrison Photography // Courtesy of the Carmel Clay Public Library
In addition to the impressive schedule of programs for children and youth, the Carmel Clay Public Library (CCPL) offers a menu of services for adults, including several programs that are targeted at people who are interested in starting up a small business or are business owners who are looking to improve and streamline their processes.
The library is pleased to announce its Simple Steps to Start Your Business program that will take place in the library’s Program Room Saturday, September 29. The program will focus on testing your business idea and identifying key factors that influence startup success. Attendees will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of owning a small business and the fundamentals of formation, marketing, finances and funding sources. Simple Steps to Start Your Business is presented by SCORE, a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses grow and succeed nationwide. It has been mentoring small business owners for free for more than 40 years.
“We have done programs in the past about various aspects of small business launching and ownership, and we are excited about this program because it’s good for people who are in the early stages of considering getting a business of their own up and running,” explained Christy Walker, communications manager at CCPL. “It will also be beneficial to people who have launched their businesses and are looking at ways of streamlining things and becoming more efficient. This program is free to Carmel Library cardholders.”
Over the next few weeks, the library will host a Sustainable Living Seminar: Clean Disruption that will be held Wednesday, September 12. The seminar will feature keynote speakers: Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will speak about the importance of reducing America’s oil dependence, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard will share plans for a 1 MW solar field in Carmel, and Kelly Snyder, Sr., Operations Manager at EDP Renewables, will provide insights on solar markets in Indiana and the U.S. She will also talk about the new 200 MW solar farm in Randolph County.
Be sure to mark your calendars for Smart Living with Your Smart Device and Indiana Digital Citizenship Week September 10-14. The featured programs will drill down on the subjects of Device Assistance, Cybersecurity and Smart Living with your Smart Device and will conclude with a special interactive screening of “Big Hero 6.” CCPL has partnered with Carmel Clay Schools on the Smart Living with Your Smart Device presentation and will feature representatives from Common Sense Media, Healing Hearts of Indy and the Carmel Police Department. This presentation will be held at the Carmel High School Freshman cafeteria Wednesday, September 12. Please visit carmel.lib.in.us for a full list of presentation dates, times and locations.
CCPL offers many additional services for adults and business owners, including access to its databases. “I think that it is always good to remind people that we are doing some interesting things for adults and business owners at the library,” Walker said. “We offer what we call ‘Book a Librarian’ sessions where people can schedule one-on-one appointments to work with staff in our reference department.
“Cardholders have an opportunity to work with our staff and learn about some of the small business resources that we have at the library, including databases for people who are looking to develop mailing lists and contacts. That’s a powerful resource that they can tap into for free.”
In addition to offering programs and services at the main library on Carmel Drive, CCPL is looking forward to expanding its list of services and collections when it opens its recently announced West Branch, which will be located in the heart of the Village of WestClay.
“We are planning on opening the West Branch in 2019,” Walker shared. “We are looking at how we can make it more convenient for people to use the library. We had been looking for retail space and something that was located centrally within the western part of the township, and that space opened up. It is the right size and will be accessible to people within and outside of the Village of WestClay. We are excited about it.” For more information on upcoming programs and library services, contact the Reference Desk at 317-844-3362 or visit carmel.lib.in.us.
The Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation
The Carmel Clay Public Library’s vast menu of excellent programs and services for people of all ages is supported by the library’s donors, supporters and its foundation.
The Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation hosts several fundraisers throughout the year to support CCPL, but there are two annual events that draw in best-selling authors from across to the nation who share their personal journeys with guests of these events. The Guild of the Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation will proudly host its annual Writers at the Pavilion October 17 and its renowned Guilded Leaf Book and Author Luncheon October 18. Author, columnist and speaker Lori Borgman is returning as the luncheon’s moderator. For sponsorships or reservations, contact Liz Hamilton at 317-814-3905 or [email protected].