Rogue Valley Workforce Newsletter

The Jackson County Library has teamed up with FYI, a department of the Los Angeles Public Library, to offer value-added, for-fee information services aimed at small businesses. At Your Request Information Service (AYR) seeks to provide easy and affordable access to business information that is not readily available to small businesses and individuals outside of a large metropolitan area.

The library has traditionally been a free source of a wide range of information, but with the advent of the Internet, the library is no longer limited to the materials housed within its four walls. However, despite media hype that everything on the Internet is free and easy-to-find, people are now confronted with the dilemma of too much information that requires extensive time, money and expertise to acquire. AYR intends to act as a gateway to information products and services that the average businessperson may be unaware of or that may otherwise be cost prohibitive.

While large companies and corporations have entire departments dedicated to information gathering and competitive intelligence, the small businessperson often finds they must be a jack-of-all-trades. For the infrequent user, awareness of what services exist and how this information might be useful is often as big a quandary as the cost. The library wants to assist business owners and individuals in this situation by linking them to the right information at the right time for their specific needs, no matter where the resources are located. AYR will allow business managers to use their time and resources more effectively. They will no longer have to come to the library and learn how to find information for themselves. They will now have the option of calling on an expert to provide them with what they need while they continue to take care of their day-to-day business.

In addition to its for-fee products, At Your Request also offers to anyone interested two free services: patent and trademark search assistance and an email newsletter. Glenna R. Rhodes, librarian and independent business researcher, is available by appointment only for a one-hour consultation about patent and trademark searching. Individuals may also subscribe to her bimonthly email newsletter that focuses on Internet sites, tips and library resources for businesses and entrepreneurs by sending an email to grrhodes@jcls.org. Indicate in the body of the message that you wish to subscribe to the AYR newsletter. The library will continue to provide free reference assistance whenever possible and does not charge for any consultation in regards to these or other library information products or services. AYR for-fee information products are above and beyond services normally available through Jackson County Library.

business lists, company profiles, demographic data, trademark searching, document delivery and public records searching. A narrative description of these services follows. For more information contact: Glenna R. Rhodes, Ashland Branch Library, 541-482-1197, grrhodes@jcls.org.

At Your Request Information Services Selective Product List

A variety of delivery options are available, including fax, overnight delivery and RUSH service.

· Business mailing lists can be used for prospecting and direct mail campaigns. This custom list information comes from such industry leaders as TRW/Redi, Dun and Bradstreet, and American Business Information. No minimum number of records required.

· Business profiles provides market data on clients, sources of venture capital and potential employers. They are available in a variety of formats – brief to in-depth.

· S&P Company reports have detailed profiles on the largest publicly-traded companies in the U.S., including company news, industry reports, and financial data.

· Public records research can access real property ownership, civil and criminal court records, bankruptcy filings and much more. A "People Locator" service is available if you can’t find who you want using the free resources at the library.

· Demographic data provides information on income, consumer spending habits, population, and thousands of other variables from the square block to the entire country. Current year estimates and 5-year projections are available for many statistics. Useful in understanding your customer base, evaluating and selecting markets and analyzing your competitive environment.

· Patent and trademark search packages for the independent inventor or businessperson. The library continues to offer a free one-hour educational consultation about patents and trademarks, but for people who don’t have the time or expertise to do their own searching, these professional search services are available.