With small businesses employing almost half the US workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public libraries’ support for those businesses, and the entrepreneurs who start them, makes a significant contribution to our country’s economy.

5.5 million
The record-breaking number of new businesses started in 2023, according to the US Census Bureau.

50%
Approximate number of libraries in the US that provide free services to entrepreneurs seeking to start or expand their businesses, according to the American Library Association’s Libraries Build Business Playbook

2012
Year that Toronto (Ontario) Public Library (TPL) debuted its Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR). TPL was an early adopter of the business-focused residency program, and its EIRs continue to host office hours and public programs to mentor peers looking to start their own ventures.

$13,000
Amount that St. Louis County (Mo.) Public Library estimates small businesses can save annually by using its databases and resources. Its Small Business Center offers subscriptions to a foundation directory to find grant opportunities, LinkedIn Learning, Gale Business: Entrepreneurship database, and more.

4
Number of commercial kitchens at Mid-Continent Public Library’s Culinary Center in Kansas City, Missouri. These kitchens, available to rent for small business owners, offer a six-burner range top, conventional and convection ovens, a steam kettle, mixers, and dry and cold storage.

29
Number of schoolchildren who participated in Itasca (Ill.) Community Library’s (ICL) 2023 Shark Tank Junior program. ICL is one of several US libraries that have hosted youth programs inspired by the ABC reality TV show Shark Tank, in which business owners pitch investment opportunities to venture capitalists.

$15,000
Prize amount awarded to the first place entry in New York Public Library’s StartUP! Business Plan Competition. The 2023 winner was Nasir + Indie, a clothing line designed for kids with autism and sensory processing disorder.

$2.50
The highest amount patrons of Kenton County (Ky.) Public Library pay to print one customized T-shirt using its direct-to-garment printer.

8
Number of street vendors who served as paid consultants for Los Angeles Public Library’s Sea un Vendedor Ambulante Exitoso/Successful Street Vending program. The program includes a self-paced curriculum available on a mobile phone in Spanish and English. To learn more about the program, listen to the Supporting Small Business episode of our podcast, Call Number With American Libraries.

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