Build Your Business Expertise at Your Library
May is Small Business Month, and your library offers classes, events and resources to help grow your business ideas. Whether you’re an established owner or just getting started, the Orange County Library System has tools to support you. Check out the business feature on pages 18–19 of the May 2026 issue of Books & Beyond to see how local entrepreneurs are using the library to amplify their success.
Your library card unlocks essential skill-building opportunities both in-person and online. Sharpen your accounting skills with QuickBooks Level 1 & 2 classes, offered in English and Spanish throughout the month. Financial literacy is key to future success, and branches are offering programs for preschoolers, kids and teens focused on money management. For creative entrepreneurs, the Melrose Center hosts a virtual Creative Skills Bootcamp on May 3 and Creative Resources for Self-Starters on May 7.
With your library card, you also get free access to more than 25,000 LinkedIn Learning courses, including “Entrepreneurship Foundations” and “Purpose-Driven Personal Branding.” Visit ocls.org/business to explore the Start Your Own Business Guide, a librarian-curated hub for business owners and visionaries.
Aspiring writers can connect with local experts at the Local Author Festival. Meet writers across genres, hear their experiences and purchase books on Sunday, May 3, at Orlando Public Library. On May 16, join us at Eatonville Branch for Their Eyes Were Watching God: The Legacy of Zora Neale Hurston, a panel discussion presented in partnership with Orlando Shakespeare Theater and UCF. Registered participants will receive a copy of the classic novel.
Bring your mom to Orlando Public Library on May 9 to celebrate Mother’s Day early with Second Saturday in the Melrose Center, a rollercoaster of laughs featuring improv actors from across Orlando. Then, keep the family fun going on May 16 with the Kung Fu Show performed by Wah Lum, featuring a vibrant lion dance, kung fu demonstrations and more.
No matter your goals this May – whether you’re building a business, developing new skills or simply looking for meaningful ways to connect with family – your library is here to support and inspire you. Explore new opportunities, learn from experts and discover the many ways the Orange County Library System can help you grow. Visit your local branch or go online to get started – your next big idea could begin at the library.
