Library Partnerships
For Community Businesses
Libraries are often the first step for would-be business owners. As community hubs, they’re an ideal spot for entrepreneurs to do initial market research and learn essential business skills. But librarians typically don’t have business backgrounds, and they can struggle to provide the support early entrepreneurs need to launch a successful business.
Outgrow Your Garage partners with libraries to support these local businesses. With downloadable courses available in both Spanish and English, we help librarians connect their communities to resources they can use. All courses have a variety of activities and examples that allow entrepreneurs to immediately apply the content. For business owners with low technical skills, activities are printable and examples include no tech options.
Our Solutions
Course Subscriptions
Libraries can subscribe to our courses, offering entrepreneurs an invaluable resource for self-paced learning. Courses are downloadable in various formats, allowing community members to access them both at the library and through the library portal to continue their entrepreneurial journey at their own pace.
Professional Development Workshops
We offer professional development workshops tailored for library staff. Equip your team with the business knowledge they need to guide entrepreneurs effectively and connect with other business resources in your communities.
Entrepreneur Workshops
Librarians can run targeted workshops based on our extensive course library. For example, many libraries lead a budgeting workshop using our interactive course material, fostering a hands-on learning experience for business owners. Alternately, libraries can choose a workshop from our catalog and Outgrow Your Garage can teach it virtually or in-person.
Why Choose Outgrow Your Garage?
Outgrow Your Garage offers a unique and comprehensive solution for libraries seeking to empower their communities with entrepreneurial knowledge. Here’s why investing in our services is a strategic and impactful decision:
Bilingual Programming
Outgrow Your Garage is dedicated to accessible education that works for business owners - regardless of background. That's why we offer the exact same courses, workshops, and learning materials in English and Spanish. We also work with community groups to translate programming into other languages as needed.
Consistent Quality
All our courses are developed in-house, ensuring a consistently high standard of quality across the board. This commitment translates into reliable and engaging content, providing patrons with a valuable learning experience.
Privacy focused
For our library clients, we link our courses directly to your website, allowing patrons to use their existing library card login to access programming. This means that your patrons don't need to make a second account, and we never receive identifying or personal information.
Accessible
- Concepts are broken down into short modules, and all videos are 10 minutes or less
- Every video is available with or without captions, plus an audio file and transcript to suit any learning style
- All activities can be completed online from a phone or computer, or can be downloaded and printed for offline access
Applicable
- Modules have related activities so entrepreneurs can use their learnings immediately
- Course introductions have a module by module breakdown, so there's no guessing about what's included
- Every course has a resources page and a conclusion focused on creating the next steps for business growth
Achievable
- We start every couse with the question: What skill will entrepreneurs learn and how will it improve their business?
- Courses build on each other and any courses that have prerequisites are clearly labeled in the description
- All modules and activities are presented at a beginner level for easy understanding and implementation of concepts
With us, you can...
Support Workforce development
When businesses grow, they hire staff. Our courses prepare entrepreneurs for the hiring and onboarding process, as well as train new managers in leadership skills.
Increase Technical literacy
Entrepreneurs have a wide range of technical skills, so their business education needs to meet them where they're at. Our examples start with no-tech options, allowing entrepreneurs to grow their skills as needed with their business.
Offer financial education
Managing business finances can be tricky, especially for new entrepreneurs. We have curricula guides and workshops that make it easy for staff to support their patrons learning these skills.
Build youth programs
80% of youth entrepreneurs start businesses with a purpose. With Outgrow Your Garage, your program staff can help these youth build the next generation of community-oriented business and connect them to other local resources.
Choosing Outgrow Your Garage isn’t just an investment in education - it’s an investment in the economic resilience and prosperity of your community.
Join us in fostering a culture of entrepreneurship that will have a lasting positive impact on the individuals and businesses within your library’s reach.