The Orange County Library System is marking Small Business Month in May with classes, events and resources for established owners and those just getting started. A business feature on pages 18–19 of the May 2026 issue of Books & Beyond highlights how local entrepreneurs use the library. Offerings include QuickBooks Level 1 and 2 classes in English and Spanish throughout the month, plus money management programs at branches for preschoolers, kids and teens. Card holders also get free access to more than 25,000 LinkedIn Learning courses. The Melrose Center hosts a virtual Creative Skills Bootcamp on May 3 and Creative Resources for Self-Starters on May 7. Business tools, including the Start Your Own Business Guide, are collected at ocls.org/business.
Other May events include the Local Author Festival on Sunday, May 3, at Orlando Public Library, where writers across genres will meet readers and sell books. On May 16, Eatonville Branch hosts Their Eyes Were Watching God: The Legacy of Zora Neale Hurston, a panel discussion presented with Orlando Shakespeare Theater and UCF, and registered participants will receive a copy of the novel. Second Saturday in the Melrose Center, featuring improv actors from across Orlando, is set for May 9 at Orlando Public Library, and a Kung Fu Show by Wah Lum follows on May 16 with a lion dance and kung fu demonstrations.
The library invites residents to visit a local branch or go online to explore the opportunities available this May.
Press release issued by Orange County Library System:
https://ocls.org/ocls-blog/from-the-director-may-2026/
🤖 AI-assisted content notice: This item was written with AI assistance from the source document linked above. The underlying facts come from that public source, not from our own reporting. No quotes, interviews or original reporting are implied. Spotted something wrong? Email corrections@theorlandoconnect.com.
