Local Resources
Los Angeles Venture Association Workshops
Founded in 1984 the Los Angeles Venture Association is Southern California’s premiere forum for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors and professional advisors.
Inventors Workshop International - Ventura County Creative Individuals Workshops
Third Wednesday of Each Month
Hours: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Open to the Public:
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Hosted by United Way of Ventura County
1317 Del Norte Road, Suite 100, Camarillo
101 Freeway, Exit Del Norte
Legal Assistance Programs for Independent Inventors
Databases (Library card is required to access the databases outside the library.)
- Gale Virtual Reference Library
Profiles important Americans from colonial times to the present. Provides in-depth information on robber barons and their counterparts as well as current visionaries such as Bill Gates, and biographies from financier Warren Buffet to music mogul Jay-Z.
- General OneFile (Gale)
Full-text articles from magazines, journal and scholarly publications about all aspects of intellectual property.
- Legal Information Reference Center
Consumer legal reference books from NOLO Press on all aspects of starting and running a business including printable legal forms by state.
- ReferenceUSA
Information on over 10 million US businesses. A good resource for compiling and downloading lists of businesses based on a variety of criteria.
- Small Business Reference Center
Provides up-to-date information on starting, operating and managing a business including an informative Small Business Start-Up Kit.
Patent and Trademark Searching
- US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): Patent and trademark databases
- Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC) in Southern California
Los Angeles Patent and Trademark Resource Center
Los Angeles Public Library
Phone: (213) 228-7220
San Diego Patent and Trademark Resource Center
San Diego Public Library
Phone: (619) 236-5800
Riverside Patent and Trademark Resource Center
Orbach Science Library, University of California, Riverside
Phone: (951) 827-3316
Loans, Grants & Funding
- SBA.gov: U. S. Small Business Administration provides information on various loans and grants including a loans/grants search feature.
Web Resources
- Edward Lowe Foundation offers forward-thinking ideas and solutions for every aspect of running a business. Their mission is to lead entrepreneurs through the trial and error process that today's hottest entrepreneurs have already overcome.
- Entrepreneur.org: An information resource for entrepreneurs and supporters of entrepreneurship.
- NASE (National Association for the Self Employed): The Nation’s Leading Resource for Entrepreneurs.
- The Small Business Administration (SBA) Young entrepreneurs: SBA has a wide range of resources and programs to help you start, manage and grow your business.
- U.S. Census Bureau Business & Industry
Contact a Librarian
(Phone or text message)
Call (805) 449-2660, ext. "5"
Via SMS: TXT your question to Ask a Librarian (E-mail)
Business Definitions and Key Concepts
Find definitions and short articles for key business terms and concepts:
