The Abilene Public Library has a great lineup of online databases available to you anytime, from a comput4er, tablet, or mobile device with an internet connection. With a valid library card, you can access our entire collection of databases at no charge. Each week, we’re highlighting one database worth checking out and showing you how it can help you find information, learn something new, or dig deeper into a topic.
This Week: Gale Business – Entrepreneurship
Have you ever thought about starting your own business but weren’t sure where to begin? Maybe you already own a small business and need help with marketing, taxes, finances, hiring, or managing your operation.
Gale Business: Entrepreneurship is designed to help with all of those questions and more. The database covers the major areas involved in starting and operating a business, including accounting, finance, human resources, management, marketing, taxes, business planning, and more. It brings together articles, journals, reference materials, business plans, how-to guides, and other resources to support both current and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Not Sure Where to Start? Start Here!
One of the best features of this database is that you don’t have to know exactly what you’re looking for before you begin. The database’s landing page organizes information around four key stages of the small-business journey.
- Plan – Explore information to help develop your business idea, research your industry and market, consider your business structure, and begin developing a business plan.
- Fund – Learn about different ways businesses can obtain financing and explore resources related to funding, financial planning, and managing business finances.
- Start – Find information related to actually getting your business up and running, including business types, structures, planning, legal considerations, and other startup topics.
- Manage – Find resources for operating and growing an existing businesses, including management, human resources, marketing, accounting, taxes, and other ongoing business needs.
You can also use the search box at the top of the page to enter a specific question, topic, or keyword if you already know what you’re looking for.
Browse Popular Business Topics
If you have a general idea of what you need but aren’t sure what to search for, Gale provides Business Topics that can help point you in the right direction.
You can explore subjects such as:
- Accounting
- Advertising
- Brand image
- Business planning
- Marketing
- Payroll and taxes
- Risk management
- Human resources
- Financing
- Business management
- And many other small-business topics
These topic pages bring together relevant information so you can begin exploring a subject without having to figure out the perfect search terms first.
Find Information for Your Specific Business
Another helpful feature is the ability to browse by business type. If you’re thinking about opening a particular kind of business, you can find information specifically related to that industry.
Interested in opening a bakery, bed and breakfast, child care service, food truck, or another type of business? Browse the available business types to find resources and information connected to your particular area of interest.
This can be especially helpful when you’re in the early stages of an idea and want to learn more about the industry before deciding what your next steps should be.
How-To Guides for Entrepreneurs
Still not sure where to begin? Check out the database’s How To section, which brings together frequently asked questions and practical guidance for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
You’ll find resources addressing questions such as:
- How to Start a Small Business
- How to Write a Business Plan
- How to Finance Your Business
- And many other common small business questions
The database also includes an extensive collection of sample business plans through Gale’s Business Plan Handbook series. These examples can help you see how other entrepreneurs have approached business planning and provide ideas for the types of information you may want to consider when developing your own plan. Gale currently describes the collection as containing more than 1,000 sample business plans.
More Than Just Articles
Gale Business: Entrepreneurship brings together a variety of resources in one place, including business journals and magazines, reference materials, eBooks, business plans, news, and other business information. Gale also provides citation tools and other features that can make it easier to save and use information for research.
That makes it useful not only for someone preparing to open a business, but also for students researching entrepreneurship, current business owners looking for information, and anyone wanting to better understand a particular business topic or industry.
Visit the Abilene Public Library’s Databases page online at www.abilenetx.gov/apl/Databases and look for Gale Business: Entrepreneurship in the A-Z listings. And it’s all for free if you have a valid library card.
Be sure to check back next week for another Database Spotlight as we continue exploring the many online resources available through your library.
