H&R Block Business & Career Center

Learn from local entrepreneurs!

Check out videos from our Cradle of Entrepreneurs series [1].

Education and internships: working towards a career [2]

[2]

Graphic design is tougher than it looks. It takes a lot of determination in learning the technical aspects before one can really thrive in the field of creativity. As a full time college student for almost two years, majoring in Graphic Imaging Design, I am just beginning to see the light of day from the intense comprehensive studies in publication design, print media, seven different design softwares, and multi-media and web.

Read more [2]

Welcome to the H&R Block Business & Career Center

The H&R Block Business & Career Center, located on the 3rd floor of the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St., is a dedicated service center for patrons doing research in:

Entrepreneurship

Select from a collection of business books, including FORTUNE'S top 75 business books
Access research databases [3] including:
- Reference USA [4]: A resource for investigating suppliers, competitors, and markets.
- Business Source Premier [5] provides up-to-date information on the financial health of specific industries, changes in technology, and consumer trends.
Business Plan Pro is a software program that is useful for outlining business plans.

Job Seeking and Career Development

Conduct online job searches [6].
Use Job & Career Accelerator [7] to learn about careers, create and save resumes and cover letters, and get helpful career advice.
Career Insider [8] contains videos on specific careers; information on education, training, and occupational certifications; and tips for résumés and interviews.
To format your résumé, use WinWay Résumé Deluxe on the Center’s computers.
LearningExpress [9] (Library card is required to access from outside the Library) offers practice tests for standardized tests, such as the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and Law School Admission Test (LSAT), civil service exams, the U.S. citizenship test, and occupational licenses, including practice tests for nurses and paramedics.

Grant Research and Writing

The Kansas City Public Library is designated a “Cooperating Collection” of the Foundation Center, a grants-research organization based in New York. It is one of 380 Cooperating Collections across the country, providing access to essential research databases [10].

Business and Financial News

The Newspaper Nook has over 1400 national and foreign newspapers.
Three monitors in the Center display current business news from Bloomberg, MSNBC, and the Fox Business Network.
Access online databases such as Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage [11] (Library card is required to access from outside the Library). Check S&P ratings on stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, read weekly stock “picks and pans,” access corporate annual reports and other company data, and use the Stock Screener to identify the right investments for your financial planning strategy.
Read print business newspapers and investor newsletters.
For additional independent analysis, the weekly print publication Value Line covers 3500 stocks and 1900 mutual funds on a quarterly basis.

Youth financial literacy

The Center is a local focal point for lifelong financial literacy and entrepreneurship, starting with future business leaders—children and teens. Ask a librarian for book recommendations to teach young adults to manage money, understand the stock market, or how to start a small business. The Center also assists youths with career development and entrepreneurship.

Consultations, computers, and classes

Call 816.701.3717 to set up an appointment for a personal consultation with a business librarian to discuss your business, career, or financial concerns. Computers are available for Center patrons, and the Library provides free high-speed wireless Internet access.

The Library offers free classes [12], such as résumé creation, Internet and software basics, and job search strategies.