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Location Closure The Forest Park, Washington Village, Herring Run, Brooklyn, & Northwood branches are closed for renovations. Learn more here.

Holiday Closing All Pratt Library locations will be closed early Wednesday, November 27 at 5 pm, and closed Thursday, November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving Day.

Business, Science & Technology

Starting a small business? Repairing a car? Learning to box? One of the busiest departments at the library, Business, Science, and Technology houses collections covering many aspects of business, computers, cooking, health, psychology, and sports.


Business Science and Technology Department - Grants Collection bookshelf

The Collection

The Business, Science, and Technology Department maintains a collection of more than 150,000 books and U.S. government documents, as well as automotive shop manuals (PDF list) beginning with the Model-T, as well as owner's manuals (PDF list) for early model American cars. You can also find a collection of department store catalogs (PDF list), including JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, Sears, and Spiegel, and the Newcomen Society pamphlets (PDF list) including the histories of hundreds of companies beginning in the 1940s.

Business Center

The Business Center offers both individuals and businesses a wide variety of resources covering investing, personal finance, market research, starting a business, researching your industry and competitors, and real estate.

You will also find resources beyond books and research materials, including meeting spaces, sample business plans, classes, individual assistance from librarians, and printing and copying services.

Starting a business? Check out our Small Business Guide for reliable information related to starting a business in Maryland, taxes, writing a business plan, and more.

Starting a nonprofit organization? Learning how to write a grant proposal? Visit the Grants Collection to find hundreds of materials related to fundraising, nonprofit management, grant seeking and grant writing, 990 and 990-PF forms, and related subjects.

Job and Career Information Center

Looking for a job? Need help while considering a career change? Making career choices and finding job opportunities require good information. The Job and Career Information Center include materials on job hunting, resume writing, interviewing techniques, career planning and occupations.

Customers also have access to a variety of databases for job and career exploration, test preparation, educational information both from home and in the library. Computers are available by reservation for two hours at a time to perform job related activities.

Grants Collection
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woman doing online research at a Central Library table

Grants Collection


Visit the Grants Collection to find hundreds of materials related to fundraising, nonprofit management, grant seeking and grant writing, 990 and 990-PF forms, and related subjects.

Mobile Job Center
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Mobile Job Center

Mobile Job Center


The Mobile Job Center brings access to computers, books, and assistance for job seekers to communities across Baltimore city.

Small Business Guide
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man haging OPEN sign at his business

Small Business Guide


Find reliable information related to starting a small business in Maryland, taxes, writing a business plan, and more.