Paula Watson-Lakamp
Poudre River Public Library District emphasizes services and resources for area nonprofits, small businesses, and entrepreneurs
(FORT COLLINS, Colo., November 5, 2018) — Poudre River Public Library District has established the Harmony Nonprofit Center, located at Harmony Library, to better serve the growing number of nonprofit organizations, agencies, and small business entrepreneurs in Northern Colorado. In just the past year, the Library District has seen a 250 percent increase in contacts with nonprofits making use of library resources, programs, and services. The Center is open by appointment only during regular library hours.
“The Library District has worked to fill the gap in services for nonprofits that emerged after the closing of the community’s previous center,” says Ken Draves, deputy director of Poudre River Public Library District and manager at Harmony Library. “Providing nonprofit organizations with access to information, research, and specialized consulting is a natural extension of what the Library does for the community.”
The new Harmony Nonprofit Center houses the Library District’s nonprofit librarian, Sarah Scobey, and business librarian, Molly Thompson, and provides a dedicated space for consultations on all aspects of an organization’s operation and development and to provide educational opportunities and programs. Additionally, the Center provides easy access to the nearby nonprofit, business, and career reference collection.
“The Harmony Nonprofit Center is a wonderful resource. Our local nonprofit group has been trying to find possible grant and donation possibilities interested in supporting our cause, but were not sure where to start,” says Kate Norton with Fort Collins Days for Girls. “We met with Sarah Scobey at the Harmony Nonprofit Center and learned about the library databases available to search for specific options. We found many companies and foundations that would be possible candidates. It saved us time and opened our eyes to great opportunities to continue our nonprofit efforts.”
With more than 900 nonprofits registered in Fort Collins alone, the Library District expects to see ongoing demand for library services. Along with the new Harmony Nonprofit Center space, the District continues to partner with Front Range Community College – Larimer Campus, the Small Business Development Center, and community agencies like United Way of Larimer County as a way to ensure nonprofits and small business owners have access to the best resources and expertise.
“The Poudre River Library provides amazing resources to the local entrepreneur. We at the SBDC have been fortunate to have a long collaborative relationship with the business librarians and nonprofit coordinator,” says Mike O’Connell, Larimer Small Business Development Center Director. “The Library District invests in specialized business databases that can deliver informative market and industry research, and the Library’s people are highly skilled at finding and analyzing this data. Our local library system is a real asset!”
The Harmony Nonprofit Center is located at Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St. in Fort Collins, and is available by appointment. One-on-one or small group appointments to meet with the Nonprofit Librarian or Business Librarian can be scheduled online: https://read.poudrelibraries.org/contact/business/ or by calling the Answer Center, (970) 221-6740.
About the Poudre River Public Library District
Established in 2006 by voter approval, the Poudre River Public Library District’s shared resources serve more than 191,740 people across a vast 1,800 square-mile region in northern Larimer County, Colorado. Anchored by three libraries in Fort Collins, the District is dedicated to matching diverse communities’ needs, interests and priorities with exceptional opportunities for learning, intellectual stimulation and personal enjoyment. In all its endeavors, the District aims to enrich the cultural, educational and economic life of the growing regional area which it serves. More information can be found online at PoudreLibraries.org or by calling (970) 221-6740.
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