CURRENT POSITION Business Outreach Specialist, Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO DEGREE MLIS, currently enrolled at Emporia State University, KS FAST FACT Perry inspired a romance novel. While attending a romance conference, she met a writer who later wrote Deep Into Trouble, a romance about a librarian on the run with a CIA agent. FOLLOW @MPerryBigHair; linkedin.com/in/morgan-perry-a355a27a Photo by Jill Annie Photography

The Library Is Here!

When Morgan Perry walks into business events, participants call out, “The library is here!” 

Perry joined Mid-Continent Public Library in 2013 in the new role of business specialist. She spent four years working on a plan to provide business information education in Spanish with two community partners, hosted a support group during quarantine about virtual programming, and helped develop a small business support team that was active in the community. 

Perry’s nominator, Information and Reader Services Manager Amy Fisher, notes that Perry’s willingness to meet people and organizations where they are, and tackle hands-on involvement, makes all the difference. “Morgan invests time in activities [others] view as important, like trash pickup and town hall meetings, instead of expecting everyone to come to her,” she says.  

“Map your assets with populations like business owners in mind and look for the connections,” Perry advises. “Do they have employees to train? Do you have databases with online classes on soft skills or using social media for small businesses? Most of us do. We just need help matching our customer segments to resources we own. Business owners and local employees have needs that libraries can fill. They need information to grow their venture or upskill their career.” 

When the pandemic arrived, Perry held an emergency work session and rebuilt her team to support programming and services as if the quarantine would last two months. Her team offered its first virtual program the evening the library shut down. She arranged programs to help businesses develop e-commerce solutions, made videos for partners including the Small Business Administration, developed a series called “What’s Good KC” about businesses with curbside delivery, and started a small business educational support group for librarians without the staff to convert services online.  

“This is equity work,” Perry says. “You don’t have to be an expert or have a full-time business librarian to make an impact. Build a book display or invite a local success to do Entrepreneur Storytime at your branch. Start small and let the community invite you to do more! Once they hear you care about their dream, you will have their attention.”