The old saying also applies to the life of a founder: "You don't have to know everything. You just have to know where it is." What many people don't know: the Chamber of Industry and Commerce offers an extensive library with plenty of useful information for entrepreneurial life, just for this purpose.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Library dates back to around 1852, with its very first book acquisitions. By 1880, the library was already open to Munich's trade and industry community. Today, it is a publicly accessible reference library and makes its holdings available to Chamber-affiliated companies and start-ups. Judith Mathes, Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Library, explains the services the library offers in a short interview.
Ms. Mathes, what media and information does the library offer for startups? What topics and areas are covered?
We offer a wide range of literature on starting a business:
General advice, for example, on creating business plans, or industry metrics and contract templates. We can even provide information on collective wage agreements in individual industries.
How can I easily search for literature? Is there a specific search engine for the current library collection?
We have an electronic catalog (OPAC) accessible to the public via the Chamber of Commerce and Industry's website. You can search by author, title, and keyword. The literature you find is then ordered electronically from the library.
The literature itself is part of the reference collection and can be viewed on the library's premises. Of course, it can also be copied.
Do you also offer access to specific business databases? Are there any paid databases, for example?
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Library has access to many fee-based databases. Access to the business databases is provided by library staff. We do not pass on these costs to interested parties! For example, we can print and make available industry reports from the Feri databases.
Help with finding a name
What other services does the library offer?
If a founder is looking for a name for their new company, we can perform a trademark check in a special database. This means we can determine whether the proposed name is already trademarked or whether it's publicly available.
Who should startups contact for more information?
For general information on starting a business, you can contact the staff of the Munich Business Start-up Office (MEB). There is also the IHK Startup Unit Specialized advice on internationalization, crowdfunding, innovation and technology funding, and networking. For specific questions, such as the possible legal form of the new company, we can connect you with contacts within the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, for example, in the legal department.
For information on start-up literature and information from databases, please contact the library staff. The telephone number is 089 5116 1219, and the email address is: IHKbibl@muenchen.ihk.de. Current opening hours and further information can be found on the IHK Library website.
