Rachael Svoboda
Laramie County Library System’s Business Services Coordinator Rachael Svoboda was selected by the American Library Association’s Libraries Build Business initiative as one of six coaches who will support library professionals around the country who want to start or grow their organizations’ small business development programs.
Since the summer of 2020, Svoboda has overseen the implementation of the Libraries Build Business grant awarded to Laramie County Library System. Libraries Build Business is a national program supported by Google.org that seeks to build capacity and expand library programs and services for the small business community and local entrepreneurs. Svoboda has used the funding to spearhead the Wyoming Library to Business initiative.
As part of the initiative, Svoboda has partnered with the Wyoming State Library, Wyoming Women’s Business Center, Wyoming SBDC Network, Steve Boss (UW Coe Librarian), and Wyoming SBA to curate Wyoming’s small business resources. The partnerships and funding also work in tandem to provide technology for public libraries to empower their local small businesses and entrepreneurs.
As a coach with the Libraries Build Business initiative, Svoboda will provide feedback, peer review, technical assistance, and one-on-one coaching sessions to assist other libraries around the country in creating successful and sustainable business programs of their own. Svoboda will assist with creating resources and networks to expand the capabilities of several other organizations. The award comes with additional grant money for the Wyoming Library to Business initiative, and the title of an American Library Association Fellow throughout Svoboda’s six-month term.
Learn more about the Libraries Build Business grant, Library to Business (L2B) program, and resources available for business owners and entrepreneurs in the community, visit lclsonline.org/services/l2b. For more information on the Wyoming Library to Business initiative visit library.wyo.gov/business.