Access Data Axle Now
Let's say you've got an idea for a business. Maybe you're looking at helping people install concrete roofing tiles. What do you need to know?
You might want to know where you can find good, reliable sources for materials. You might want to know how often people are replacing their roofs. And you might want to know about your competition.
You'll certainly want to know this: as of 2023, your Garfield County Libraries subscribe to something called Data Axle Reference Solutions, formerly called Reference USA. This comprehensive database of information about all kinds of things--including the kinds of business-related questions mentioned above--is available for your use. And it's free. (Well, not really, since the library pays for it with your tax dollars. Let's call it prepaid.)
Like many electronic resources, Data Axle can save you a lot of time, increasing the chance that your business venture will succeed. Unlike blind Google searches, the information is more focused and reliable.
To use it, go to the the library's website (www.gcpld.org), then choose Research. Scroll down till you see "Data Axle Reference Solutions." Click on Access
.
It's a complicated resource, but it also includes detailed information about over 80 million US and Canadian businesses. Need help? Ask a librarian or take a look at these videos: https://www.data-axle.com/what-we-do/reference-solutions/webinars/.
Here's another thing you might want to know: as of 2023, the Board of Trustees has eliminated fees for library meeting rooms. It has also extended those rooms to the entire public--including small businesses.
The library still gives priority for its rooms to library programs, followed by various other non-profit and partnership programs. But the reason we have these facilities is to make them available to everyone in our community. If a room isn't booked, why not make let local business people meet there? We have tables, chairs, internet access, and comfortable lighting.
We eliminated the fees, because frankly, it was costing us more to collect the money than we received. Businesses pay taxes, too, and in many of our communities, finding space to meet is a challenge.
So the next time you're looking for a way to improve your business, remember the library. Communities do best when both public and private sectors look out for each other. Let's grow together.
Access Data Axle Now
