The purpose of this research was to examine the variety and levels of services provided to the clients of local Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) by selected medium-size and large public libraries in the Delaware Valley region. The twelve responding libraries reported a wide variety in the levels of service provided to the local small business community. Librarians reported participating with their local SBDC by providing facilities, reference materials, staff with special training and/or experience in business reference service, staff participation in programs, and combinations of these services. Three libraries reported providing no services at all to support SBDC programs and clients. Specific services and the advantages or disadvantages to the libraries as a result of these services are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this research was to examine the variety and levels of services provided to the clients of local Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) by selected medium-size and large public libraries in the Delaware Valley region. The twelve responding libraries reported a wide variety in the levels of service provided to the local small business community. Librarians reported participating with their local SBDC by providing facilities, reference materials, staff with special training and/or experience in business reference service, staff participation in programs, and combinations of these services. Three libraries reported providing no services at all to support SBDC programs and clients. Specific services and the advantages or disadvantages to the libraries as a result of these services are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Polhamus, Nancy"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A. in School and Public Librarianship","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Special Educational Services/Instruction","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Shontz, Marilyn"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-05-14T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2004-05-14T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:14:04Z","subjects":["Libraries and business--United States; Libraries and community--United States; Public-private sector cooperation--United States","Library and Information Science"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1214","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Shontz, Marilyn"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Polhamus, Nancy"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-04-27T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Special Educational Services/Instruction"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A. in School and Public Librarianship"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Libraries and business--United States; Libraries and community--United States; Public-private sector cooperation--United States","Library and Information Science"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1214"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this research was to examine the variety and levels of services provided to the clients of local Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) by selected medium-size and large public libraries in the Delaware Valley region. The twelve responding libraries reported a wide variety in the levels of service provided to the local small business community. Librarians reported participating with their local SBDC by providing facilities, reference materials, staff with special training and/or experience in business reference service, staff participation in programs, and combinations of these services. Three libraries reported providing no services at all to support SBDC programs and clients. Specific services and the advantages or disadvantages to the libraries as a result of these services are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A study of cooperative relationships between small business development centers and public libraries"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Shontz, Marilyn"],"dc:creator":["Polhamus, Nancy"],"dc:date.available":["2016-04-27T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this research was to examine the variety and levels of services provided to the clients of local Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) by selected medium-size and large public libraries in the Delaware Valley region. The twelve responding libraries reported a wide variety in the levels of service provided to the local small business community. Librarians reported participating with their local SBDC by providing facilities, reference materials, staff with special training and/or experience in business reference service, staff participation in programs, and combinations of these services. Three libraries reported providing no services at all to support SBDC programs and clients. Specific services and the advantages or disadvantages to the libraries as a result of these services are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1214"],"dc:subject":["Libraries and business--United States; Libraries and community--United States; Public-private sector cooperation--United States","Library and Information Science"],"dc:title":["A study of cooperative relationships between small business development centers and public libraries"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Special Educational Services/Instruction"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A. in School and Public Librarianship"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:14:04Z"}