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Mt. Prospect library the focus of next Entrepreneur's Cafe event

The latest Entrepreneur's Cafe event in Mount Prospect will focus on what leaders say is a key untapped resource for people thinking of starting a business - the public library.

Joe Collier, business reference librarian at the Mount Prospect Public Library, will talk at the event about the ways the library can help residents get a small business up and running.

"I'm hoping I can dazzle them," Collier said with a laugh. "There is so much that we can offer to people, if they just take the time to come in."

The Entrepreneur's Cafe program got started several years ago to encourage Mount Prospect residents to start businesses of their own in town. The events are organized by a number of agencies: the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Merchants Association, the village, the library and the Small Business Development Center at Harper College.

The next Entrepreneur's Cafe will take place at noon on Monday, Nov. 10, at the library, 10 S. Emerson St. Collier will be the main presenter.

Among the topics Collier expects to cover are the various databases that residents can access through the library. The databases can help residents understand the logistics of opening a business, how to conduct market research and more, Collier said.

He'll also mention library resources that on the surface might seem too obvious to mention, like the meeting rooms that are available in the building.

"With something like that, I would guess that most people probably are generally aware that we have them, but I'm not sure how often they think about using them," he said. "They're perfect for home-based businesses, or for any Mount Prospect business looking for a central place to meet."

Collier said he hopes that at the very least, attendees leave the session with a greater appreciation for how the role of the library in the community has changed over the years. Other local leaders share that sentiment; at a recent economic development breakfast, Mayor Arlene Juracek referred to the library as "an overlooked gem" for the business community.

An RSVP form for the Nov. 10 session is available on the Entrepreneur's Cafe page of the village's website, mountprospect.org. Materials from earlier sessions are available there, as well.

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