New York SBDC Research Network

Here's a press release that I just received. It's good to read that the State Library has found its new leader. We've been the beneficiaries of a lot of work done by the NYSL, and we wish Mr. Margolis all the best. BOARD OF REGENTS APPOINT BERNARD A. MARGOLIS NEW YORK STATE LIBRARIAN The Board of Regents today announced the appointment of Bernard A. Margolis as the New York State Librarian. He will assume his new responsibilities in January 2009. State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said, “We live in an age of information, and libraries play a critical role in providing us with access to that information. They are vital to our economy and our communities. They promote literacy and lifelong learning. And in these trying economic times, they are vital to people seeking information about jobs. I am thrilled that the Regents have appointed a dynamic and innovative person like Mr. Margolis to serve in the critically important position of State Librarian.” Mr. Margolis wi

Want to start a bike shop? Here are some free web resources that offer industry stats and advice to get you going. National Bicycle Dealer's Association: Want to Start a Bike Shop? Bicycle Retailer & Industry News: Bike Stats (Including the 2008 Bike Stats Issue) Bikes Belong Coalition: Survey Says: High Gas Prices Are Fueling Bike Sales The Outdoor Industry Association: The Active Outdoor Recreation Report, Bicycling

Most entrepreneurs have a pretty good idea that they need to know about the bottom line. But which one? Usually, it's the economic bottom line, involving capital, i.e., money. But in recent years, business folks have focused on other bottom lines such as social (people capital) and environment (natural capital). People in this movement use terms such as performance, features, reliability, durability, serviceability, aesthetics, and perceived quality. In this economic climate, an appetite for cheaply-made items with planned obsolence may have come to an end. But brands that provide for a more sustainable future, concerned with health and safety, honesty, doing good as well as convenience, will come to the fore. To that end, the leaders of the Going Green workshop I attended in September recommended these websites: Branding for Sustainability LOHAS - Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability U.S. Green Building Council Pennsylvania Material Trader - a free online service established

Yesterday, the New York Times began a series that will focus on six individual small businesses in the New York City area, and how each of them is dealing with the current economic situation. Here's their introduction: "A butcher’s longtime customers stop paying their bills. A building contractor has half as many jobs as he did a year ago. A restaurant owner considers sharing space to stay afloat. Steadily, inexorably, the fallout from Wall Street’s layoffs and the credit crisis is trickling down to small businesses across the region. Over the coming months, The New York Times will track six of those businesses to see how they are weathering the economic storm. " Give it a read. Recognize what these people are saying? By the way, in the past month, emails have been sent out from the Association of SBDCs, soliciting client stories on behalf of journalists from the Times , Business Week , and The Wall Street Journal on issues currently being faced by small business owne

Many of our businesses deal with exporting and importing. When dealing with business associates in foreign countries, it is essential to know detailed cultural information. The CIA World Factbook is an almanac-style resource that provides current and relevant facts on 266 countries and areas in the world. Updated every few weeks, country profiles include the following categories: Introduction - Background Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues Although not very applicable to our clientele, I also find the CIA publication Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments an interesting resource.

I am most familiar with using widgets on my Mac where you can add elements to your desktop like a clock, various tickers, games or news headlines. You can make good use of widgets to keep up-to-date on what is going on in your sphere of interest. There are more and more available everyday. A widget is a small application that you can add to your desktop. Yahoo ! explains how you can add elements to your desktop, as does WikiHow . Google Desktop stands opposite Yahoo! - you've probably been invited to download Google Desktop, which allows you to add stuff to your desktop as well as search your desktop. You can tailor your desktop to include mini-versions of the sites you visit for news, updates on political candidates, the weather or whatever catches your fancy. I personally don't use Google Desktop because I have most of my tidbits on my Google homepage but it is an option. Here are a selection of widget sites.

Looking for information on how Americans feel about...well, almost anything? Check out the online data available through the General Social Survey . The GSS has asked the same core " demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions" since 1972, allowing us to monitor social change throughout this period. You can browse variables (alphabetically) here. It's literally "abortion" to "zodiac."