A business support network that has helped thousands of new companies in the region is expanding to seven new centres.
The British Library network of Business & IP Centres (BIPCs) contain information for people wanting to start businesses, including market research and business databases. It also offers workshops and one-to-one advice sessions.
The network has had a centre at Newcastle’s City Library for a number of years, but Government funding has allowed it to set up more than 80 new sites, including seven in the North East.
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BIPCs will be established in Hexham, Morpeth, Berwick, North and South Tyneside and Sunderland. A new regional centre will also open at Stockton Central Library, with potential to extend across the Tees Valley to local libraries in Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Redcar.
The BIPC network has been credited with helping thousands of people start their own firm, with research suggesting the Newcastle facility has supported more than 14,000 new and growing businesses, as well as safeguarding around 600 local jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Liz Jolly, chief librarian at the British Library, said: “At their heart, libraries are trusted spaces with professional staff who have a mission to connect people with information. Our BIPC Network harnesses the power of libraries, bringing in expertise from the local community to help people from all walks of life turn an idea into a successful business
“We’re delighted to mark this next chapter in the Network’s journey, growing from 14 to over 100 new regional and local Centres across England, with a longer term ambition to expand across the 海角视频.
“Our mission is to put business support in every library, but we’re also learning lessons from the past year, by making sure more and more of our business and IP workshops, events and 1-1s are open to everyone online.”
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The expansion of the BIPC network has come after the Government pledged £13m to the project.
Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage said: “It is brilliant that small businesses and entrepreneurs will now be able to access invaluable support and resources in more parts of the country than ever before. I’m delighted that, thanks to our £13m investment in the British Library’s Business & IP Centres, this important network is growing from strength to strength.”