Sixteen CCPL librarians received certification to teach entrepreneurship

Throughout the week of January 23-26, Charleston County Public Library staff participated in a YEScarolina Entrepreneurship Training Program. Sixteen librarians from eight CCPL branches took a break from their daily library duties to learn how to teach and encourage entrepreneurship. Participants shared their experiences with patrons who visit the library to learn how to start a business but lack direction. As a result, librarians are forced to think on their feet to determine how they can help customers accomplish their goals with library resources. Through YEScarolina and the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), librarians at several CCPL branches are now equipped to teach entrepreneurship to customers of all ages through curriculum, experiential activities, resources, tools and program ideas.

YEScarolina Founder, Jimmy Bailey, first thought of this educational initiative after picking up his granddaughter from Buist Academy. He noticed several young people shuffling off the bus and crossing Calhoun Street toward the library. Eventually, Bailey asked the bus monitor where those students were going, and she replied, “These students are headed to the library while they wait for their parents to pick them up after work.” Bailey realized that kids would either do their homework or play computer games while they waited, and he wondered whether relevant life skills could be taught to students by trained librarians during a fun entrepreneurship camp. As a result, Bailey’s motivation inspired YEScarolina to teach entrepreneurship skills and outreach efforts to local library staff.