The Business and IP Centre is designed to support entrepreneurs and SMEs from that first spark of inspiration to successfully launching and developing a business. Since it opened in March 2006, we have welcomed over 350,000 people through the doors
The centre offers free access to the UK's most comprehensive collection of business and intellectual property information, including thousands of market research reports and up-to-the-minute online databases on companies, markets and business news, as well as patents and other forms of intellectual property. The value of this information is estimated at over £5 million, giving you access to the same, if not better, resources as a major corporate company.
British Library information experts are on hand to guide you to the resources you need.
Anyone is welcome to use the library; you just need to gain a free reader pass.
The centre also offers free and highly discounted workshops, advice sessions and networking events run by British Library staff and its partners, designed to give you the skills, tools and networks necessary to start up and run a business. These include ‘A beginner's guide to Intellectual Property', ‘Beginner's guide to business information' and ‘How to attract the right investors for your business'.
For ambitious London-based businesses, our small business support programme, Innovating for Growth, provides tailored support and advice to get businesses to the next level. With bespoke face-to-face advice covering business strategy, marketing and branding, intellectual property, product development and sustainability, it covers everything a business needs to expand.
Recently launched across the country, the British Library Business and IP Centre National Network provides entrepreneurs and SMEs in cities outside of London with free access to a wealth of databases, market research, journals, directories and reports. There is a programme of free and low-cost one-to-one advice and workshops delivered by trained staff and business experts on a range of topics including starting up, business planning, marketing and intellectual property.
The Business & IP Centre National Network is supported by the Intellectual Property Office, Department for Communities and Local Government and Arts Council through direct funding and via the Enterprising Libraries project.
Find out more at www.bl.uk/bipc
