Thursday, May 08, 2008

May Business at Lake County Public Library

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH: Indiana BusinessBuilder.net

Welcome to Indiana Business Builder! Indiana Business Builder is a service of INCOLSA (Indiana Cooperative Library Services Authority).

If you are starting a new business or expanding an existing business, this website is for you. There are links for entrepreneurs, online continuing education courses, prospect research, and business overviews.

Business Builder Features:
Reference USA. The Reference USA Business databases contain detailed information on more than 12 million U.S. businesses. Details include sales figures, executive names and number of employees. Searches can be performed using these categories and more.

Click on the Reference USA icon and you will be directed to a list of libraries subscribing to this database. Select Lake County Public Library from the list and begin your search.

ed2go. Instructor facilitated online learning courses in accounting, sales, and marketing. Click on the ed2go icon and learn more.


NEW BOOKS*

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions - by Dan Ariely
330 ARIE
Ever walked by something and instantly known you had to have it--even though you'd never thought about it before? Ever wonder why something free is so hard to pass up, even if you don't need it? You wouldn't steal money, but have you taken home office supplies from your job? It's these sorts of "irrational" behaviors that author Dan Ariely assesses in Predictably Irrational. By looking at behavioral economics, Ariely explains why we spend our money the way we do, based on "guidelines" that others have set. It's a "fascinating, eye-opening read" (Publishers Weekly).


The Middle-Class Millionaire: The Rise of the New Rich and How They Are Changing America by Russ Alan Prince and Lewis Schiff
305.5234 PRIN
Wealth experts Russ Alan Prince and Lewis Schiff consider "middle-class millionaires" to be those households who have earned rather than inherited their money--and who are worth between one and ten million dollars (for a look at the super-rich, try Robert Frank's Richistan). Their book assesses the influence of these working rich and their attitudes on the U.S. economy as well as on its society, institutions, and values. If you're curious about this segment of the population--they drive much of consumer spending--check out The Middle-Class Millionaire to learn more.


The Wall Street Journal Complete Identity Theft Guidebook: How to Protect Yourself from the Most Pervasive Crime in America - by Terri Cullen
362.88 CULL
According to personal finance columnist Terri Cullen, the average identity-theft victim will have to spend 600 hours clearing his or her name. To avoid having to take on that task, Cullen uses the first part of her book to explain the various types of identity theft and to share how you can best prevent it happening to you. The second part describes what to do if your identity is stolen. She also discusses the use of credit reports, encryption, and computer software, and analyzes the laws that protect the victim. Booklist says that this is "a straightforward guide broken up with interesting sidebars and plenty of charts."

*Titles and descriptions are from NEXT READS' April Business & Personal Finance Newsletter. If you haven't signed up for this email newsletter service, do so today. Log on to the library's website http://www.lcplin.org/ and click on the NextReads icon.



See more information about the Lake County (IN) Public Library & its services to business at http://www.lcplin.org/research/businesslines.htm