December 2016 
A publication of the Business Resource & Innovation Center 

 

 
Trademark Basics: What Every Business Should Know Now, Not Later
Monday, December 5, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Skyline Room (Fourth Floor)
1901 Vine Street, 19103
Topics to be discussed include:
  • Effective use of United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) website resources
  • How trademarks, copyrights, patents, domain names, and business name registrations differ
  • Why it's important for any new business to select a trademark that will be both federally registrable and legally protectable, highlighting factors critical when choosing a mark
  • The importance of doing a complete search and whether an attorney should be used
  • What may happen if another trademark owner believes it has stronger rights in a mark and issues a "cease-and-desist" letter
  • What the USPTO does in the federal registration process and how to avoid scams perpetrated by companies which request fees for services not required by the USPTO
Presented by speaker Craig Morris, Managing Attorney for Trademark Outreach from the United States Patent & Trademark Office, in cooperation with Entrepreneur Works.

 
     Register Here! 





















Work for Yourself@50+
Tuesday, December 6, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Skyline Room (Fourth Floor)
1901 Vine Street, 19103
Work for Yourself@50+ is a program specifically designed to help people 50 and older learn about what it takes to be successfully self-employed in today's economy. 

Join us for an interactive workshop where you'll learn to:
  • Explore your options
  • Find your focus
  • Make a plan
  • Watch out for trouble 
  • Connect with resources in your community 
Call the AARP Foundation at 888-339-5617 to register!  

This program is presented in partnership with Women's Opportunities Resource Center. 
Charles Smith Memorial Series

Coding for Adults: Newbies Only!  
Wednesday, December 21, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Business Resource & Innovation Center (Second Floor)
1901 Vine Street, 19103
Have you always wanted to learn how to code but felt a little overwhelmed? You're not alone! 

Join a small group of like-minded individuals as we learn HTML basics together by working through Codeacademy lessons in a friendly, judgement free environment! 

This class is BYOL (bring your own laptop). An email address and intermediate computer skills are a prerequisite.
 
Advance registration is required as space is limited. Please contact the Business Resource & Innovation Center directly to register at erefbsi@freelibrary.org or 215-686-5394. 

This series is presented in memory of Charles Smith. Charles passed away on July 16. He was the beloved former department head of the Business, Science & Industry Department for many years. Before his retirement in February, he was the Administrative Librarian and project manager in the Business Resource & Innovation Center.
Around the Region

How to Get and Keep Customers
December 1, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Learn what goes into consumer purchasing decisions and how to influence them repeatedly. Presented by Garron Gibbs, founder of TwoG Marketing, an Inbound Marketing company that specializes in customer acquisition and retention. more...
Foodie Forum
December 7, 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Learn how to become a member of the state-of-the-art Dorrance H. Hamilton Center for Culinary Enterprises! Also, learn about other services provided by The Enterprise Center along with some basic business startup information. more...
Schedule a One-on-One Session with a Librarian! 
Whether you are running a successful company, thinking of growing your business, or just planning your first venture, start here! The Business Resource & Innovation Center is excited to offer one-on-one sessions with a librarian. We can provide individual training on our databases with regard to market research, target demographics, competitors, and general business planning. We also offer sessions on patent and trademark research and Get Your Business Online with Google. Appointments are generally 45 minutes to one hour in length. Schedule your appointment today by completing our appointment request form.
'Tis the Season to Read!

The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good

"Join a growing movement: Learn how you can join more than 1,000 Certified B corporations from 80 industries and 35 countries--led by well-known icons like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry's and disruptive upstarts like Warby Parker and Etsy--in a global movement to redefine success in business. Build a better business: Drawing on interviews, tips, and best practices from over 100 B corporations, author and B corp owner Ryan Honeyman shows that using business as a force for good can help you attract and retain the best talent, distinguish your company in a crowded market, and increase customer trust, loyalty, and evangelism for your brand."
Stat of the Month
American consumers plan to spend an average $935.58 during the holiday shopping season this year, according to NRF's survey conducted by Prosper Insights. Nearly six in 10 plan to buy for themselves, spending an average $139.61, up 4 percent from last year and marking the second-highest level of personal spending in the survey's 13-year history.  
Featured Resource
Mergent and First Research partnered to deliver critical knowledge tools that equip you with the targeted information and data to deepen your knowledge of your industry. First Research's knowledge tools (Industry Profiles, Call Prep Sheets, State & Province Profiles) are excellent tools for call preparation, enhancing presentations, underwriting credit, and for quickly learning an industry's or company's key business issues.
Regional Foundation Center
The Regional Foundation Center informs and supports the local nonprofit community. The RFC houses Philadelphia's largest publicly accessible collection of print and electronic resources on fundraising, nonprofit management, general philanthropy and institutional advancement. 
Business Resource & Innovation Center | Free Library of Philadelphia 
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103