Small Business Saturday® is an annual holiday shopping tradition founded by American Express that gets communities everywhere out celebrating their local small businesses.
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This year, it will be taking place on Saturday, Nov. 24 — but it’s not too late to get involved!
What is Small Business Saturday®?
Founded by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday® helps bring attention to the importance of supporting small businesses in communities across the United States.
In 2017, an estimated 108 million consumers reported shopping or dining at local, independently owned businesses on Small Business Saturday®.
How can my library get involved?
There are several ways your library can get involved between now and Saturday, Nov. 24.
- Show your solidarity. Demonstrate your support for small businesses by hanging posters in your library, putting out flyers, or posting to social media reminding patrons to Shop Small®. Download free Small Business Saturday® marketing materials — including signs, logos, email templates and more — at The Shop Small® Studio. (Spanish-language materials are also available.)
- Offer library fine forgiveness for small business shoppers. Patrons who bring in a receipt from a local small business dated from the week of Small Business Saturday® can have their library fines forgiven. Promote the opportunity through signs at your circulation desk, on social media and in your library’s newsletter.
- Hold a prize drawing for consumers who shop local. Enter patrons into a prize drawing when they support local businesses. The week leading up to Small Business Saturday®, patrons who bring in a receipt from a local small business are entered into the drawing. Consider asking local businesses for prize items.
