Small Business Center for Allegany County Ashley Swinford LATI Spring 2015

One of the most challenging community trends facing Allegany County is the slowly-

recovering economy. Since the great recession in 2009, Allegany County has struggled to attract

and maintain small-medium sized businesses, creating a domino effect on employment

opportunities, local economy, and the availability of goods. The first goal listed in the 2012

Economic Develop Plan from the Department of Economic & Community Development, is to

“offer a prosperous business environment for new and existing businesses.” I believe the

Allegany County Library System can help foster that environment by the creation of a small

business center at our LaVale Branch.

While networking with my LATI peers, Cecil County’s Small Business Information

Center was mentioned as having a large impact on their library system’s efforts to support the

county’s economic development, which in turn, just helped them win the National Medal for

Museum and Library Services (the nation’s highest honor for a library). I was immediately

interested in learning more, having a business degree myself, about what services and

information were offered through their SBIC. When I researched it through Cecil County’s

website and interviewed their Small Business Librarian, Laura Metzler, I was convinced that this

is the perfect niche for Allegany County. By providing services and information such as

business planning help, market data, steps for entrepreneurs, and more, we would be enriching

the lives of citizens of Allegany County by helping to attract and maintain small-medium sized

business, create job opportunities, and help diversify the products and services found in our local

community, improving the overall economy.

The first step in beginning this adventure would be to seek out grants to help build our

business collection and database services. Ms. Metzler mentioned that Cecil County began with

a LSTA grant, which we would apply for as well. After these resources to get us started, I would

plan a kick-off small business information seminar where we could invite entrepreneurs to hear a

few successful local business owners to speak on how they got their start in Allegany County and

Small Business Center for Allegany County Ashley Swinford LATI Spring 2015

the library system could present the resources we have to help small business owners. Partnering

with the Allegany County Department of Economic and Community Development, the Allegany

County Chamber of Commerce, Frostburg State University, Allegany College of Maryland, we

could reach a large number of potential small business owners for the area. By developing and

maintaining relationships with these small business patrons, as well as monitoring the economic

development in the county, we will be able to measure the success of the small business center at

obtaining its goal of building a strong economic future for Allegany County.

Press Release

Date: September 7, 2015

Title: Library Hosting Small Business Seminar

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact: Ashley Swinford

Allegany County Library System

815 National Highway

Cumberland, MD 21502

301-729-0855 Fax 301-729-3490

For Immediate Release

LaVale Community Library will host a small business seminar on Thursday, September 24th

.

Starting at 6:00pm, executives from several local businesses will be sharing their stories of

starting and maintaining a small business in Allegany County. The Allegany County Library

system will also present several new services available for small business owners. No prior

registration is required. For more information, please call the LaVale Library at 301-729-0855.

Social Media Promotion

Allegany County Library System focuses on using the social media channels of Facebook and

Twitter, which we would use to promote this event. The promotion would be placed on social

media periodically up to a month before the event date. We would promote the seminar in honor

of local small businesses for Small Business Saturday in November.