Two practical guides for small- business owners were recently published by the Business Reference Services at the Library.
The modern, authoritative bibliographic guides are designed for people who wish to become entrepreneurs or expand an already existing small business.
The titles of the guides are: The Entrepreneur's Reference Guide to Small Business Administration, and Financing Small Business Enterprises: Sources of Information.
The Entrepreneur's Reference guide is designed for small- business owners and business reference specialists. It is a concise condensation of material from small-business bibliographies.
The entries are separated into general topics such as creating a plan for small business, raising capital and locating international opportunities.
Another heading provides indexes, databases and other sources of information. Individual titles listed under the subject headings are accompanied by brief synopses.
The list was developed through a gift from the Edward Lowe Foundation.
The other publication, Financing Small Business Enterprises, is a research guide to sources of information on obtaining funding for newly formed or expanding small businesses.
"Access to capital seems to be the most difficult challenge for small business owners. ... Banks, by the very nature of their business, are resistant to the high-risk loans, which many small businesses represent; potential entrepreneurs may lack the business savvy to articulate what they need in business terminology; and such inexperienced business persons may also fail to present a well thought out, long- range alternative plan to cover emergencies and other contingencies," according to the introduction.
To address these potential setbacks, the publication includes many titles that explain how to obtain offshore or out-of-country financing, as well titles touting traditional sources such as state and federal government. It also includes books that tap nontraditional financing.
Both publications are available free by request from the Business Reference Services, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540- 5550.
