Businesses Find a Competitive Edge in Databases

Crystal Hammon
Public Service Administrator
Brownsburg Public Library
Master of Library Science, IUPUI (2005)

Helping people learn to use information technology is one of the big charters public librarians have in communities today. We facilitate that by offering computer classes that teach people how to use software and personal computers. Our classes appeal to adults who have a variety of needs, from retooling for a new career to improving existing work skills. They also attract senior citizens who realize they are missing out on a galaxy of information because they lack computer skills.

Another contribution we make on a daily basis is introducing people to the world of subscription databases. We consider this a huge strategic priority. Electronic resources have so much potential to empower people in their work, education and personal lives, yet so few people know they exist, much less have the ability to tap them or distinguish them from content they find on the free Web.

Our library approaches this in a two-pronged way. The first prong is a grassroots method which includes setting individual goals for database demonstrations during our daily reference work. These individual sessions allow people to learn at their own pace in an informal, non-threatening way. We also follow the model used by grocery stores, setting up "grazing stations" where people sample a product without commitment. In our case, we position a computer and an LCD projector in a commons area. People stroll in and out of our demonstrations of INSPIRE and other subscription databases without the commitment of signing up for a class.

We also use more formal methods, organizing group training for Chamber of Commerce members, local service organizations, home schooling groups, senior groups and educators. Business people are one of the most receptive audiences we have because they quickly grasp how databases can help them conduct competitive research, find best-practices in their industries, or prospect for new business. Some business resources are so comprehensive that they place small business owners on an equal footing with large companies in terms of access, yet most small business owners have no clue that they exist until we show them. When we demonstrate these tools, we can often see a big "Ah, hah" moment as they realize how databases can be used for a competitive advantage. These interactions help us dispel the perception people often have of libraries as irrelevant institutions. We think this is a huge lever public libraries can pull to emphasize our value.

Like all libraries, we still take our traditional roles very seriously, including building reading readiness through programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their caregivers. In the past year, we've nearly doubled the number of programs designed to reduce the likelihood that kids in our community will start school without the skills they need to become readers. These early efforts plant seeds locally that can offset a literacy problem which has long-term implications for Indiana's economy.

Article reprinted with permission from the author and Indiana Insight, a publication of IUPUI.