On Sistrunk Boulevard on a Wednesday evening in September, the African American Research Library and Cultural Center does what public buildings along Fort Lauderdale’s historic corridor have long done when the workday ends: it stays open for people who still have work to finish. This week the unfinished business has a sharper outline. Inside AARLCC’s Computer Lab at 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311, Broward County Library opens session one of a free four-week series, AI For Small Business — framed for owners who want to stop doing everything manually. The same night, on the same 6:00–7:30 p.m. Eastern clock, SCORE Broward’s free online webinar Work Smarter, Not Harder: AI Tools Every Small Business Owner Needs Now goes live from any laptop that can hold a seat.
It is Monday, September 7, 2026 — Labor Day; Broward libraries are closed. By Wednesday night, owners tired of vendor demos and half-finished chatbot experiments face a concrete local choice: in-person series on Sistrunk, or live SCORE online — or a third path that softens the fork: register for SCORE anyway, because the chapter states a copy of the recording and materials will be sent to all attendees, while calling AARLCC to confirm card and capacity for the lab that only happens in the room.
This is not a commodity AI tip roundup. It is a reported map of Broward’s public ladder this fortnight — what is free, who runs it, which primary pages to trust, and what no free workshop can honestly guarantee.
The Sep 9 attendance fork
Two programs. One evening. Different pedagogies.
Path A — Broward County Library: AI For Small Business at AARLCC
According to the county library event listing and matching Eventbrite page, AI For Small Business is a free, in-person, four-week course in the Computer Lab at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center. Session times are Wednesdays, 6:00–7:30 p.m., with the published arc:
| Date | Session theme (as published) |
|---|---|
| Sep 9, 2026 | Audit Your Operations |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Build Your First System |
| Sep 23, 2026 | Expand & Integrate |
| Sep 30, 2026 | Scale & Sustain |
Library and Eventbrite copy promise workflow audits, first automations, integration, and sustainment habits — plus claims about reclaiming hours, marketing content, and customer response. Treat that language as program marketing, not audited ROI.
Primary registration and detail pages:
- Library calendar: broward.libnet.info/event/16864594
- Eventbrite: AI For Small Business tickets
- Branch phone: 954-357-6282
- Credit line on the event page: “A Service of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.”
What is not disclosed publicly (as of this reporting): instructor name, seat capacity, whether lab devices are provided or BYOD, and whether a Broward County Library card is required. Owners should call AARLCC at 954-357-6282 to confirm card requirements, remaining capacity, and device expectations before counting on a walk-up seat. Free does not mean unlimited.
Owners new to the building can skim county AARLCC orientation materials, then verify program logistics by phone — the tour pages do not replace the event desk on card, capacity, or devices.
Path B — SCORE Broward: Work Smarter, Not Harder (online live)
SCORE Broward lists Work Smarter, Not Harder: AI Tools Every Small Business Owner Needs Now as an Online Live Event on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 6:00 p.m. EDT, 1.5 hours, free. The overview targets owners without a technical background and emphasizes next-day application — program framing, not a performance study.
Published learning objectives:
- Identify 3–5 specific AI tools that can improve business operations.
- Confidently navigate and use at least two AI platforms demonstrated in the session.
- Develop a personalized implementation plan for integrating tools into the owner’s workflows.
Calendar softener: SCORE states a copy of the recording and materials will be sent to all attendees. Live Q&A is not identical to a replay, but missing 6 p.m. live need not mean missing the content if you registered.
Facilitator, per SCORE bio only: Marline Paul — technology integration expert and creator of the 3T Framework (Transform, Train, and Tool Up), with more than 17 years in education and entrepreneurship. No bio expansion beyond SCORE’s page.
Primary links and contacts:
- Event page: SCORE Broward — Work Smarter, Not Harder…
- Registration: app.webinar.net/01JXkPnwjpN
- SCORE Broward: (954) 589-5293 · 6565 Taft St, Suite 403, Hollywood, FL 33024 · About SCORE Broward
How to decide in 48 hours
| If you need… | Lean toward… |
|---|---|
| Four consecutive Wednesdays, hands-on in a computer lab, neighborhood presence on Sistrunk | Library series at AARLCC (confirm card/capacity/devices) |
| Single-session survey of tools + personalized plan language + recording | SCORE webinar (register even if you also want Library weeks 2–4) |
| Both skill-building and a safety net | Register SCORE now; call Library today/Tuesday to hold the lab path if seats remain |
If you can take only one live seat on Sep 9, treat SCORE’s recording as the insurance policy and the Library lab as the commitment device — four Wednesdays are a different product than ninety minutes online.
The public ladder beyond Wednesday night
The fork is the peg; the ladder is the story. Broward already publishes free or publicly funded on-ramps that do different jobs. Stack them honestly.
Rung 1 — Skills in the room (Library lab series)
Four Wednesdays at AARLCC. Best for owners who learn by doing and can protect evenings through September 30. Can promise a structured public curriculum on county property. Cannot promise production-ready systems or revenue lift.
Rung 2 — Skills on the call (SCORE webinar + recording)
One live night: tool identification, platform navigation, personal plan, materials afterward. Best for survey literacy and anyone who cannot reach Sistrunk by 6 p.m. Softens the Sep 9 exclusivity problem; does not replace four lab weeks.
Rung 3 — Self-paced employer playbook (CareerSource Broward)
CareerSource Broward’s April 29, 2026 release announces a free AI Playbook: A Practical Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, built with input from more than 100 Broward County businesses (healthcare, retail, construction, hospitality, professional services, nonprofits). Pillars: Know AI, Use AI, Build with AI, Lead with AI — with case studies, readiness assessments, and tools on the employer AI hub.
Published quotes (as released):
“Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future concept; it’s a present-day business advantage,” said Carol Hylton, President/CEO of CareerSource Broward. “As the first workforce board to develop a resource like this, we’re ensuring that businesses of all sizes have access to a clear, practical path forward, one that strengthens operations, supports their workforce, and removes cost as a barrier to innovation.”
“As a business leader, I’ve seen how AI can elevate quality, expand capacity, and sharpen competitive edge,” said Jim Ryan, Chair of the Broward Workforce Development Board and CEO of OutPLEX. “This Playbook gives employers the confidence and direction to start using AI immediately, with strategies that are both impactful and achievable.”
Primary pages:
- News release: careersourcebroward.com/news/csbd-ai-playbook
- Employer AI hub: careersourcebroward.com/employers/ai
- Playbook download: ext.careersourcebroward.com/wex/AIPlaybookcsbd.aspx
- Media contact listed on release: Alex Shaw, ashaw@careersourcebroward.com
The hub lists illustrative paid and free tools by category (productivity, HR, learning, customer service, analytics, marketing, finance/operations, workforce analytics). Not endorsements — treat as starting maps, then run privacy, cost, and data-handling diligence yourself.
Rung 4 — Ecosystem entry (OESBD), not an AI syllabus
Broward’s Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) — a Board of County Commissioners service — covers workforce, expansion/retention, procurement access, and entrepreneurial development. Phone: 954-357-6400. Start: broward.org/ECONDEV and Business Assistance; certification/vendor lane includes Broward BMS.
No dedicated public AI curriculum from OESBD was found. Frame it as certification, procurement, and ecosystem entry beside literacy programs — not a Library or SCORE substitute.
Rung 5 — Optional: FL FAST for R&D / SBIR–STTR owners only
Florida High Tech Corridor’s FL FAST is the state’s SBA-designated SBIR/STTR support program: free coaching and proposal help for eligible Florida firms chasing federal R&D awards. It is not a general small-business AI class.
Office hours: every 3rd Thursday, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., with September 17, 2026 listed. Register: Zoom. Hub: FL FAST / SBIR–STTR. Timezone note: the site labels some times EST; Florida is on EDT in September — confirm the clock at registration.
Rung 6 — Networking, not a skills course: AI After Hours (Sep 24)
Thursday, September 24, 2026, 6:00–10:00 p.m. — Eventbrite lists AI After Hours — Fort Lauderdale at Sistrunk Marketplace, 115 NW 6th Street: free networking (conversation, music, food, drinks; no technical background required). Organizer: Sistrunk Marketplace Food Hall & Event Venue. Networking, not a skills course — not a Library or SCORE substitute. Eventbrite
What free programs can — and cannot — promise
Can (as published): structured introductions; peer presence; blocked time; worksheets or recordings; agency on-ramps; better vendor questions.
Cannot: guaranteed revenue, headcount-cut math, set-and-forget automation, industry legal sign-off, or production-ready systems on day one. Free ≠ production-ready. A lab can start a system; a recording can teach navigation; a playbook can organize thinking — none finish your ops stack or replace a pilot with someone watching your data.
CareerSource tool examples remain illustrative only. County and SCORE programming are not product endorsements.
Owner checklist
- [ ] Today–Tuesday: Call AARLCC 954-357-6282 — library card? capacity? devices?
- [ ] Register Library series via libnet and/or Eventbrite if pursuing Path A.
- [ ] Register SCORE webinar via SCORE event page / webinar.net link even if prioritizing the lab — recording safety net.
- [ ] Download CareerSource AI Playbook; skim Know → Use pillars before Wednesday.
- [ ] Write one bottleneck (invoices, reviews, intake, inventory notes) — bring it to whichever session you attend.
- [ ] If R&D/SBIR path: note FL FAST office hours Sep 17; register via published Zoom link.
- [ ] If networking goal: save AI After Hours Sep 24, Sistrunk Marketplace.
- [ ] If procurement/certification goal: bookmark OESBD and BMS; call 954-357-6400.
- [ ] After any session: document tools named, data you will not paste into public models, and one 7-day experiment — not a 90-day fantasy roadmap.
What to do this week
Mon Sep 7 (today): Libraries closed. Open registration tabs, download the Playbook, write one bottleneck. SCORE questions: (954) 589-5293.
Tue Sep 8: Call AARLCC (954-357-6282) — card, capacity, evening entry. Lock Wednesday’s live seat.
Wed Sep 9, 6:00–7:30 p.m. ET: Library lab or SCORE live (or SCORE live + Library confirmation for Sep 16 if the lab is full). Neither finishes your stack in ninety minutes.
Through Sep 30: Protect remaining Library Wednesdays; pair with Playbook reading.
Sep 17 (R&D only): FL FAST office hours as listed.
Sep 24: AI After Hours — networking, not coursework.
FAQs
Do I need a library card for AI For Small Business?
Unverified in public event copy. Call 954-357-6282 to confirm before you go.
Can I do both Library and SCORE on Sep 9?
Not live in the same 6:00–7:30 p.m. window. SCORE’s stated recording/materials distribution for attendees is the practical softener.
Is the CareerSource Playbook only for large employers?
The release and hub frame it for small and medium-sized businesses, with input described from 100+ Broward businesses.
Is OESBD teaching AI classes?
No dedicated AI curriculum was found in this reporting. Use OESBD for economic development, assistance pathways, and procurement/certification ecosystem entry.
Is FL FAST for every shop owner?
No. It is oriented to SBIR/STTR / federal R&D support for eligible Florida small businesses.
Is AI After Hours a class?
No. Free networking at Sistrunk Marketplace, Sep 24, 6–10 p.m.
Will these programs endorse a vendor for me?
They should not be read that way. CareerSource tool lists on the employer hub are illustrative examples, not purchasing advice from this Gazette package.
Who do I contact for Playbook press or employer questions?
Release lists media contact Alex Shaw, ashaw@careersourcebroward.com. Employer hub also points to CareerSource employer services channels including jobs@careersourcebroward.com for broader training/funding questions.
On Sistrunk, the computer lab and the food-hall networking calendar are not competing brands — they are different rungs. Wednesday’s fork forces a calendar decision; September’s ladder rewards owners who know whether they need skills in the room, skills on the call, a playbook, ecosystem paperwork, federal R&D coaching, or a Thursday night of introductions — and who refuse to confuse a free seat with a finished system.
[INTERNAL: Sundaze Gazette — Broward small business / economic development hub] · [INTERNAL: Gazette events calendar — September 2026]
Full sources list
- Broward County Library — AI For Small Business event: https://broward.libnet.info/event/16864594
- Eventbrite — AI For Small Business: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-for-small-business-tickets-1993353975400
- SCORE Broward — Work Smarter, Not Harder…: https://www.score.org/fl/broward/business-education/work-smarter-not-harder-ai-tools-every-small-business-owner-needs-now-1/
- SCORE webinar registration: https://app.webinar.net/01JXkPnwjpN?mcc=scoreeventpage
- SCORE Broward about: https://www.score.org/broward/about
- CareerSource Broward — AI Playbook release: https://careersourcebroward.com/news/csbd-ai-playbook
- CareerSource Broward — Employer AI hub: https://careersourcebroward.com/employers/ai
- CareerSource Broward — Playbook download: https://ext.careersourcebroward.com/wex/AIPlaybookcsbd.aspx
- OESBD: https://www.broward.org/ECONDEV
- OESBD Business Assistance: https://www.broward.org/EconDev/Pages/BusinessAssistance.aspx
- Broward BMS: https://broward.gob2g.com/
- FL FAST / SBIR–STTR support: https://floridahightech.com/innovation-investments/sbir-sttr-support/
- FL FAST office hours Zoom register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Wf9mZy83RIWszl_nEduttA
- Eventbrite — AI After Hours Fort Lauderdale: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-after-hours-fort-lauderdale-tickets-1999494588138
- AARLCC / Broward Library orientation materials: https://www.broward.org/Library/Pages/AARLCCTour.aspx
Phone numbers cited: AARLCC / Library branch 954-357-6282 · SCORE Broward (954) 589-5293 · OESBD 954-357-6400
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