Business/Government

The Washington County Free Library offers a wide selection of Business & Government information to citizens, government officials and students regarding business and government affairs.

Our collection is located at the Alice Virginia and David W. Fletcher branch located at 100 South Potomac Street, Hagerstown, Maryland. Our collection contains materials on all aspects of business from doing a business plan, opening and operating a small business to grant funding and government related information at all levels.

Washington County Free Library is an affiliate of the Maryland State Data Center and provides access to state documents and is a U.S. Census depository.

If you need specialized assistance, please contact Adult Services Department at 301-739-3250

Business & Government Websites

Getting Started in Small Business

• Small Business Administration https://www.sba.gov/business-guide 
• SBDCNET National Info Clearinghouse (Getting Started) https://www.sbdcnet.org/small-business-information-center/
• Starting Your Small Business Successfully (Enoch Pratt Free Library Business Center) https://www.prattlibrary.org/locations 
• Entrepreneur Magazine https://www.entrepreneur.com/
• Getting Started - Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development https://open.maryland.gov/business-resources/starting-a-business/

Regulations & Laws

Federal

• Federal Employment Law Guide (U.S. Dept. of Labor) https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/elg/
• Business Law and Regulations (Small Business Administration) https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/stay-legally-complaint
• Internal Revenue Service https://www.irs.gov/businesses
• Federal Occupational Safety & Health Admin (OSHA) http://www.osha.gov/
• Patents & Trademarks U.S. Patent & Trademark Office http://www.uspto.gov/

State

• Guide to Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Maryland http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Securities%20Documents/legalaspects.pdf
• Maryland Entrepreneur's Guide (Wikibook) http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/The_Maryland_Entrepreneur%27s_Guide
• Maryland Business Licensing Information http://commerce.maryland.gov/start/the-process/statewide-licenses
• Professional and Occupational Licensing Information http://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/oplic.shtml
• Maryland State Business Taxes http://taxes.marylandtaxes.com/Business_Taxes/
• Maryland Dept. of the Environment (MDE) http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Permits/Pages/index.aspx
• Maryland Occupational Safety & Health (MOSH) https://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/mosh/

Local

• Business Licenses http://www.courts.state.md.us/clerks/washington/business.html
• Permits & Inspections http://www.washco-md.net/permitting

Entrepreneurial Development

Business Plans (How To Create)

• Business plan templates from SCORE (Counselors to America’s Small Business) https://www.score.org/resource/business-planning-financial-statements-template-gallery
• SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html
• Collection of free sample business plans http://www.bplans.com/

Counseling & Assistance

• SCORE (Counselors to America’s Small Business) http://mid-maryland.score.org
• MD Small Business Development Center (SBDC) http://www.marylandsbdc.org/
• Governor’s Office of Business Advocacy & Small Business Assistance http://commerce.maryland.gov/Documents/BusinessResource/MarylandEntrepreneurGuide.pdf

Educational Courses

• SCORE (Washington County) https://mid-maryland.score.org/
• Hagerstown Community College (Continuing Education) http://www.hagerstowncc.edu/coned/
• Univ. of MD Cooperative Extension Service / Wash Countyhttp://extension.umd.edu/washington-county

Professional Services

• Maryland State Bar Association http://www.msba.org/
• Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants http://www.macpa.org/

Personnel & Facility Space

• Washington County One Stop Job Center http://www.dllr.state.md.us/county/wash/
• Maryland WorkSmart Program http://mdacc.org/worksmart
• Nims Apprenticeship Program http://nims-skills.org/apprenticeship

Technology Assistance

• Hagerstown Community College Technical Innovation Center http://www.hagerstowncc.edu/technical-innovation-center
• Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute http://www.mtech.umd.edu/index.html
• Maryland Techonlogy Development Corporation (TEDCO) https://www.tedcomd.com

Business Financing Programs

Federal

• SBA Financial Programs http://www.sba.gov/financing
• SBA Eligibility http://www.sba.gov/size

State

• Maryland Department of Commerce http://commerce.maryland.gov/

Local

• Tri-County Council for Western Maryland http://www.tccwmd.org
• Washington County Department of Business Development http://www.washco-md.net/business-development/
• Hagerstown-Washington Co Chamber of Commerce http://www.hagerstown.org/
• City of Hagerstown https://www.hagerstownmd.org/788/Incentives-for-Businesses

Minority/Women/Veterans Assistance

• U.S. Small Business Administration (links to minority, women, and veterans’ resources) http://sba.gov
• Resources for Veterans Business Development https://www.score.org/resources-veteran-entrepreneurs
• Office of Veterans Business Development http://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/ovbd
• Maryland Women's Business Center https://marylandwbc.org/
• MD Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs http://goma.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• MD Hispanic Chamber of Commerce http://www.maryland-hispanic-chamber-of-commerce.org/

Contracting (Government Procurement)

Federal

• Federal Business Opportunities https://www.fbo.gov/
• Federal Procurement Data System (government database of procurement information) https://www.fpds.gov/fpdsng_cms/index.php/en/
• Small Business Administration https://www.sba.gov/contracting/resources-small-businesses
• Minority Business Development Agency http://www.mbda.gov/blog

State

• eMaryland Marketplace https://procurement.maryland.gov/
• MD Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) https://www.mdptac.org/
• Maryland Washington Minority Contractors Association, Inc.http://www.mwmca.org/

Local

• Washington County Purchasing Invitations https://www.washco-md.net/purchasing-department/purch-open-invites/
• City of Hagerstown Bids https://www.hagerstownmd.org/bids.aspx

Government and Demographic Links

Links to Business and Government Websites

• United States Government http://www.usa.gov/
• Official business links to U.S. Government https://www.usa.gov/business
• State of Maryland Government http://www.maryland.gov
• Maryland Manual On-Line (guide to MD government) http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/html/mmtoc.html
• Maryland Governor https://governor.maryland.gov/
• Maryland General Assembly (contains links to MD Annotated Code) http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/
• Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) http://www.dsd.state.md.us/COMAR/ComarHome.html
• U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/
• Maryland State Data Center http://www.mdp.state.md.us/Msdc/

Local Governments

• Washington County Maryland http://www.washco-md.net/
• City of Hagerstown http://www.hagerstownmd.org/
• Town of Boonsboro http://www.town.boonsboro.md.us/
• Town of Clear Spring https://www.clearspringmd.gov/
• Town of Funkstown http://www.funkstown.com/
• Town of Hancock https://www.townofhancock.org/
• Town of Smithsburg http://www.townofsmithsburg.org/
• Town of Keedysville http://www.keedysvillemd.com/
• Town of Sharpsburg http://sharpsburgmd.com/
• Town of Williamsport http://williamsportmd.gov/
• State and Local Government on the Net (Piper Resources) http://www.statelocalgov.net/

IRS Tax Center

Overview  IRS.gov

• Starting, Operating or Closing a Business https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/starting-operating-or-closing-a-business
• Business Taxes https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/business-taxes

Get Started

• Tax Information for Businesses https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed
• Checklist for Starting a Business https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/checklist-for-starting-a-business
• Business Structures https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/business-structures
• Employer ID Numbers (EINs) https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/employer-id-numbers-eins
• Online Application - Form SS-4, Employer Identification Number (EIN) https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online

IRS Forms and Publications

• Forms and Publications https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs

Electronic Filing

• e-file for Business and Self-Employed Taxpayers https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/e-file-form-940-941-or-944-for-small-businesses
• Electronic Federal Tax Payments (EFTPS) https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/
• QuickAlerts "More" e-file Benefits for EROs https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/e-file-providers-partners/quickalerts-more-e-file-benefits-for-tax-professionals

Employees

• Businesses with Employees https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/businesses-with-employees
• Independent Contractors vs. Employees https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee
• Employment Taxes for Small Business https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/employment-taxes-2
• IRS Withholding Calculator https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-withholding-calculator
• Retirement Plans for Small Businesses https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-sponsor/small-business-retirement-plan-resources

Talk With the IRS

• Contact My Local Office https://www.irs.gov/uac/contact-your-local-irs-office-1
• Taxpayer Advocate Service https://www.irs.gov/advocate

Learning Center

• On-Line Classroom https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/small-business-video-and-audio-presentations
• Small Business Tax Workshops https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/small-business-tax-workshops-and-webinars

Resources

• Small Business Resources https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed
• Small Business Products Online Ordering https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/small-business-products-online-ordering
• e-News for Small Businesses https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/subscribe-to-e-news-for-small-businesses

Abusive Tax Schemes

• Tax Scams - How to Recognize and Avoid Them https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/tax-scams-how-to-report-them

Resources for Specific Communities (Disaster Info)

• Help for Hurricane Victims https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations
• Industries/Professions https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/industries-professions
• Tax Information for International Businesses https://www.irs.gov/businesses/international-businesses
• Tax Information for Tax Professionals https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/resources-for-tax-professionals