Manchester libraries business support for the region

1. Ask About Business
Neil MacInnes
Head of Manchester Libraries,
Information & Archives

2. Ask About Business
Development:
• Early recognition by heads of service of the role of
libraries in supporting enterprise, but also that enquiries
can be complex & time-consuming.
• Attempt to balance staffing & resource restrictions with
need to satisfy customer demand.
• Developed with the support of heads of service across
Greater Manchester, Blackburn with Darwen &
Blackpool
• A sub-regional, subscription based business information
service
• Lead by Manchester Libraries, Information & Archives
• Commenced Spring 2008
• Lancashire joined in 2011

3. Ask About Business
Rationale:
• Entrepreneurs, small businesses & microbusinesses use
libraries & their resources to plan their businesses, find
financial resources, and ultimately increase employment
and prosperity in their communities.
• Libraries support jobseekers:
Unemployed & low skilled customers use libraries to
prepare for the workforce and to find employment.

4. Ask About Business
Economic background:
• Combined population of the members: 4,418,7000
(including Blackburn & Darwen, Blackpool, & Lancs)
• Largest economic and financial sub-region outside of the South East.
• Around 40% of the North West’s Top 500 Companies are based in GM
• Key sectors include the service, public and knowledge-based sectors,
& a significant manufacturing base.
• % of Self-employed: Greater Manchester 7.7% (National average 9.2%)
• Over half of the very highest Index of Multiple Deprivation ranks
(1% of areas) are in the North West

5. Ask About Business
Engagement Objectives
To offer a sub-regional business information service that supports:
• Start up & microbusinesses
• Jobseekers
• Consumers
• Business students
• Inventors
• Social enterprises
• Existing businesses

6. Ask About Business
Benefits to Customers
• A reliable and comprehensive business
service available at a local level
• Better access to information to empower
and support personal aspirations including
jobseeking, business start up and
consumer issues
• Additional resources delivered online
• Meets expectations of a modern
information service, including professional
branding and marketing

7. Ask About Business
Benefits to partner authorities
• High quality service with better access to a wider range of
resources
• Improved value for money by joint marketing & purchasing of
resources
• Increased staff knowledge, leading to better customer service
• Increased visibility with other agencies and a higher profile within
the authority and region
• Demonstrates contribution to economic viability at a local level
• Access to a wide range of resources for those authorities
currently unable to offer such provision
• Budget savings on resources

8. Ask About Business
Why libraries?
• Enhances our role in a larger business support network
• Unique in the sub-region given the number of libraries, opening hours,
& size of membership.
• Instant network across the sub-region: over 150 libraries
• Community libraries are shop fronts of the service
• Allows delivery at local level
• Encourages take up by new business customers

9. Ask About Business
Service Delivery Model
Hub and spoke approach
Manchester Central Library is the hub co-ordinating and delivering:
– Business enquiry support
– IP support
– Dedicated website (www.askaboutbusiness.org)
– Online resources, such as COBRA
– Training
– Marketing and branding

10. Ask About Business
Business enquiry support
• By phone & email
• Dedicated business team in Central Library
• Some access to industry-standard info resources
e.g. market research, company info, etc.
• Delivers specialist information at local level
e.g. intellectual property
• Local staff & customers can confidently expect quality
response

11. askaboutbusiness.org
• Links to COBRA & other business resources inc free business plan
• Authorities can include local content on their own pages
• Events listings for members
• Approx 40,000 hits a year

12. • Instant business service from an industry standard resource
• Available 24/7
• Accessible and easy-to-understand for target customer base
• Consistent offer across the sub-region
• A saving of over £30,000 across member authorities
• 8,000 reports downloaded in last 15 months

13. The Hub: Manchester Central Library
• A Transformed Venue
• £50 million refurbishment
• Commitment to the city’s business &
enterprise sectors
• Commercial Library since 1919
• A Patlib (patent library)
• One of the largest collections of
business & IP information available to
the public in the UK
• Now featuring a Business & IP Centre

14. Business & IP Centre Manchester
• A partnership with the British
Library
• One of six cities in a national
network (Liverpool, Leeds,
Sheffield, Newcastle &
Birmingham)
• Launched June 2014
A one stop shop approach to
start ups & small businesses:
• Information
• Advice
• Workshops & networking
events

15. BIPC Manchester
Services include:
• Free access to industry standard business
& market research
• Start up advice
• Monthly Patent and IP Clinics
• Manchester Inventors Group
• Inspiring Entrepreneurs events
• Information surgeries
• Digital drop ins
• Innovator in Residence: Russell Clifton

16. Russell Clifton: Ruk Bug
Innovator in Residence
• Researched his idea for a new type of
pushchair using the patents & business
info available in Central Library
• Attended a Patent Clinic
• Joined Manchester Inventors Group
• Product is going to market
• Expects to employ up to 40 people
• In 2013 gained £250,000 from the
GM Investment Fund
• Became our Innovator in Residence in
June

17. Ask About Business members get
access to events & activities in
Central Library

18. Not just for business:
Central Library Work Club
• Regularly attracts over 25 people
per session
• Developed in partnership with
Economic Development
• Delivered by Pertemps and other
partners

19. Central Library Demonstrator
• Exciting addition to business
services
• Demonstrating the benefits of
superfast broadband to SMEs &
start ups
• Funded by BDUK
• High profile project for MCC:
recognition of libraries role in
reaching and supporting SMEs
across the city

20. Central Library Demonstrator
Advice sessions and workshops including:
• Cloud computing
• Social media for business
• Using online tools to improve efficiency
& communication
Also offers the chance to get hands on with
the latest communications technology
including:
• State of the art videoconferencing
• 4K video camera and TVs
• Google Glass
• 3D printing

21. AAB & Start Up Engines
• One of ten national Enterprising Libraries awards
funded by DCLG & Arts Council England
• Greater Manchester based, but all members of AAB
benefit
• Taps into the established Ask About Business network
and builds on existing relationships
3 elements:
• Access to information - “Flatpack”
• Access to experts - Events
• Access to peer-to-peer support - Online communities

22. Start Up Engines
Access to information - Flatpack
• How to guides
• Resources, websites & contacts
• Free web tools & apps
• Links to resources available at the Manchester
BIPC
• Event plans & promotional tools
• Case study templates
• Plans & guides for creating online communities

23. Start Up Engines
Access to experts - Events
• 5 quality events per authority
• Running until March 2015
• Bank of speakers and experts established
• Includes local start ups as inspirational role
models
• Target of 1500 attendees across project
lifetime

24. Start Up Engines:
Access to peer-to-peer support
• Minimum of 10 online communities
created
• Social networking guides &
templates
• Content strategy ideas
• Providing accessible & informal
space for groups to meet
• Helps entrepreneurs find like
minded people, exchange ideas and
support each other

25. Start Up Engines
Success to date
• First events successfully completed: Starting Up As A Market Trader
• Flatpack is available on the Ask About Business website
• Online communities being created
• Relationships between local Economic Development sections and
library services have significantly developed
• Impacting on perceptions of libraries supporting local enterprise with
appropriate agencies
• Excellent feedback from first events:
“Has inspired me to look into starting my own business!”
• Made possible because of the established AAB service

26. Ask About Business
Success:
• Productive partnership working across the members
• Achieved savings for individual authorities
• Sharing of best practice
• Positioned libraries as “enterprise enablers”
• Facilitated additional projects within the service
e.g. Start Up Engines