Library Support Materials: General Information

Table of Contents:

1. Contact Information
2. Project Goals
3. Participating Libraries
4. TM4K Advisors
5. ALA Connect Discussion Group
6. Americans with Disabilities Act

Contact Information

• ALA Public Programs Office (publicprograms@ala.org, 312.280.5045)

If the project director at your library changes due to staffing changes, please reach out to PPO at publicprograms@ala.org to gain access to ALA Apply and ALA Connect, and to receive information and resources relevant to the project.

Project Goals

• Increase the capacity of libraries to deliver turn-key financial education experiences for children.
• Introduce children to foundational financial literacy concepts through engaging, multi-model learning experiences.
• Help library workers acquire the tools and confidence to make financial education available to children in their communities.

Participating Libraries

Three hundred public libraries are participating in the Thinking Money for Kids Program Kit initiative. They are located in all 50 U.S. states and in the Northern Mariana Islands. View the full list of libraries here.

TM4K Advisors

Lisa Liu is a librarian with Saratoga Library of the Santa Clara County Library District. Lisa leads several initiatives at Saratoga including the English Conversation Club, Chinese language programs, personal finance events, art exhibits, and environmental activities. She participated on a design team sponsored by the FINRA Foundation and the ALA to develop self-paced courses on financial literacy resources and reference approaches for a national librarian audience. It can be accessed at http://smartinvesting.ala.org. Lisa is interested in the role libraries have in lifelong learning for all members of a community.

Zach Elder is the director of the Massanutten Regional Library, based in Harrisonburg, Virginia. In a previous position, Zach led a successful Thinking Money for Kids exhibition incorporating elements into summer reading activities, and reaching out to homeschool families as well as public school partners. He believes that financial literacy skills should be learned early, and that the best learning happens when kids are playing and don’t realize that they are being taught.

Deborah Hempe, Coordinator for Outreach Services at Middle Country Public Library, is responsible for developing partnerships with community organizations, coordinating community outreach events, and overseeing the library’s social media presence. Deborah has extensive experience in the creation of exhibits and hands-on activities for the library’s Museum Corner, a hands-on children’s exhibition space. In addition to an M.S.L.I.S. from Long Island University, Deborah has earned an M.A. in Grant Writing, Evaluation and Management from Concordia University and has implemented grant projects supporting homeschool resources, experiential learning and collaborative community art in the library environment.

Kaitlyn Gloster, Youth Services Librarian at the Middle Country Public Library, is responsible for developing programming for birth to 12th grade. Kaitlyn has extensive experience in the creation of financial literacy programming for youth and teen patrons and has implemented Money Smart Week programming for several years. Kaitlyn is a trainer for the Family Place Libraries(tm) initiative which serves as a national model for transforming public libraries into welcoming, developmentally appropriate early learning environments for very young children, their parents and caregivers. Kaitlyn has a BS in Business Management with a certificate in Marketing from Stony Brook University and an MLS from Queens College.