Financial Literacy

Resources for You and Your Patrons

Money As You Grow
http://www.moneyasyougrow.org

The President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability has developed Money as You Grow, a website creatively highlighting the 20 essential lessons kids need to learn about money. It divides up the lessons per age group and includes a downloadable poster.

Money Matters
Federal Trade Commission
http://www.ftc.gov/moneymatters

Money Matters is a comprehensive personal finance website sponsored by the FTC. Educational categories include: Scam Watch, Credit Cards, Managing Your Money, Dealing with Debt, Your Home, and Jobs.

You can even place bulk orders for materials to distribute at your library by visiting http://bulkorder.ftc.gov/.

The FTC also has a monthly e-newsletter called Penn Corner that highlights the work the FTC is doing to protect consumers and features free resources to help you avoid fraud. Sign up at https://www.ftc.gov/opa/subscribe.shtm.

Smart Investing @ your library
http://smartinvesting.ala.org/

A partnership between the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and the American Library Association not only offers grant opportunities for public libraries to enhance their financial literacy programming, but also provides great resources and tools to download and share with patrons.

WaysHome
Fannie Mae
http://www.KnowYourOptions.com

WaysHome™ from Fannie Mae is an innovative new tool in mortgage education. This free interactive video simulation allows viewers to make choices for characters who are in various stages of mortgage distress and shows the consequences of those choices—much like a "choose your own adventure" book. The video encourages homeowners to seek help early and get advice from HUD-approved housing counselors.

Patrons can access WaysHome by visiting http://www.KnowYourOptions.com. Libraries can also contact Fannie Mae ( ways_home@fanniemae.com ) to request a copy of WaysHome on CD-Rom as well as WaysHome educational material and posters

Money Smart Week @ your library
http://www.ala.org/offices/money-smart-week

Participate in 'Money Smart Week @ your library,' a national initiative in its third year between the ALA and the Federal Reserve Bank (Chicago) to provide financial literacy programming to help members of your community better manage their personal finances.

Visit the website to find tools, resources, and programming ideas to make it easy for you to participate as an individual library, or as part of larger regional or statewide efforts.