MAY 2020
Grow Your Business

Starting and growing a small business is no small task. Plano Public Library can help with tools and resources available at no cost with your library card.

Find a Small Business Start-up Kit, industry information by business type, sample business plans and more in EBSCO’s Small Business Reference Center. Build valuable skills in management and entrepreneurship through online courses with Lynda.com . Gather data on consumers and competing companies using Reference USA . Library cardholders can request a virtual appointment with a librarian for help getting started with these resources.

Exploring options for an online business? Attend How to Start an Online Business on May 19 for basic information and tools for getting started.

Plano Public Library is proud to partner with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). Schedule a personal, confidential, free business mentoring session online or by phone with a SCORE mentor by calling SCORE at 214-987-9491. SCORE Dallas , a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration, offers professional business mentoring and educational workshops in North Texas.
Stay Financially Healthy

You’ve heard a lot recently about how to protect yourself physically, but what about your financial health? For tools for assessing your financial situation and learning about your options as a consumer, there is a wealth of information available online.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) offers tips on what to do if you are unable to pay your bills or a homeowner looking for help with mortgage payments . Their handy spending tracker helps you organize your income and expenses. The National Endowment for Financial Education’s (NEFE) Smart About Money site offers free courses on all aspects of personal finance. Use their financial calculators to forecast expenses, restructure debt and make informed decisions.

Make it a family affair! Research shows that financially literate children become financially well-prepared adults. Help your kids develop good habits early with the CFPB’s Money as You Grow guides and the High School Financial Planning Program from NEFE.

For additional resources, check out Plano Public Library’s collection of finance-related eBooks . Lynda.com offers a wide variety of online training including the six-course series, Stay Ahead in Personal Finance .
Explore Engineering

Plano Public Library has many online resources for learning engineering principles and gaining an innovative perspective.

Learn about engineering with the Science in Context-GALE database. Browse engineering in general, or specific types such as aerospace engineering or biomedical engineering. Get field descriptions and discover a plethora of articles and learning resources. A STEM activity based on the familiar children’s rhyme London Bridges is one mechanical engineering example.

Take video courses through Kanopy and the Great Courses collection in RBDigital on engineering topics like Do-It-Yourself Engineering and Great Inventions in Everyday Life . Access these resources online for free with your Plano library card.

Interested in a career in engineering? Use the library’s online resources to help you explore the possibilities. Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center offers authentic articles on careers, career Q&A from professionals and resources on education planning. LearningExpress Library offers a similar set of tools and resources, as well as a collection of practice tests for college entrance exams.
Early Learning with Online Resources

Through simple activities you can help your child get ready to read, and Plano Public Library has the online resources to help you build a strong early literacy foundation at home. The Plano Library Learns blog is a great launch pad for learning with information about the five early literacy practices of Every Child Ready to Read , Reading Lists and Early Literacy Tips .

Communication is key when learning with your little ones. Our Communicating webpage shows you how to get started using signs to increase communication with your children starting as early as eight months! Check out blog posts with videos demonstrating eight commonly used signs and book recommendations for practicing your new sign vocabulary.

Visit our blog for new content monthly including DIY literacy crafts , STEAM activities and more!
2020 Winning Bookmark Designs

The time has come to recognize the artists and take a peek at the winning designs in the 2020 Bookmark Contest sponsored by Friends of the Plano Public Library! Join us for a virtual announcement and celebration on Facebook at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 .

Three winners will be announced in each age category, and the printed bookmark designs will be available for the public when the libraries reopen. Many thanks to the Friends of the Plano Public Library for sponsoring the annual Bookmark Contest. This showcase of community creativity is a highlight for many aspiring artists and art admirers.

In conjunction with the virtual announcement on May 21, the library will be releasing a listing of 100 resources accessible through the library for artistic and creative projects. Explore your creative side with Plano Public Library. We’re #morethanbooks!
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