ALA, FINRA make unemployment resource available to public libraries
Contact: Liz Markel
Marketing Specialist, RUSA/ASCLA
(312) 280-4398
lmarkel@ala.org
NEWS
For Immediate Release
April 21, 2009
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) and the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of ALA, announced today that public libraries can take advantage of important financial and unemployment-related information developed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
FINRA’s Investor Alert, “Job Dislocation: Making Smart Financial Choices after a Job Loss,” offers guidance and tips for the general public on maintaining financial stability during a period of unemployment.
FINRA is making this brochure available to public libraries for distribution to patrons in the spirit of Smart investing @your library, the ongoing grant initiative managed as a partnership between RUSA/ALA and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. The grant program is designed to build the capacity of U. S. public libraries to provide effective, unbiased financial and investor education resources and services to library patrons. Since 2007, the program has issued $1.7 million in grants to 25 libraries nationwide for the development of financial education programs.
Topics covered in this investor alert include immediately taking the right financial steps in the event of unemployment; protecting against investment fraud during a period of job dislocation; understanding health insurance options; and asking the right questions about employer benefit plans. The alert is now available to public libraries for download in English and Spanish versions. Printed copies in quantities of 25 or more can be requested directly from FINRA using a mail/fax order form or e-mail request. The downloadable Alerts and ordering information are available at
www.finra.org/JobLossAlert.
FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through comprehensive regulation. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business - from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms; writing and enforcing rules and the federal securities laws; informing and educating the investing public; providing trade reporting and other industry utilities; and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and firms. For more information, please visit our Web site at
www.finra.org.
The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that give underserved Americans the knowledge, skills and tools necessary for financial success throughout life. To date, the FINRA Foundation has approved $17.6 million in grants and an additional $27.9 million in direct investor education programming. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit
www.finrafoundation.org.
The Reference and User Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about RUSA at
www.ala.org/rusa. Established in 1876, the American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world. It strives to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all. For more information, visit
www.ala.org.
