When you think of financial well-being, do you think of the library? The library has a wealth of resources to help you in your quest for financial health at no cost to you. We offer books, classes and events, videos, and more about personal finances.
The library can really save you money, not only by using library books, classes, and services, but we also offer resources that can help you economize. Have you considered setting a budget? The library has a number of personal finance books that can help with creating a budget, which helps you see areas where you can save a little here and there.
Your library card allows you to access LinkedIn Learning, which has tutorials on subjects such as personal finance, credit, investing, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), commodities, career development, freelancing, and much more. LinkedIn Learning includes a Personal Finance Tips series, as well as the Stay Ahead in Personal Finance Learning Path.
The Universal Class database has several relevant courses, including Personal Finance 101: How to Manage Your Money; Debt Reduction; Habits of Millionaires; Investing 101: Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds; Investing 201: Introduction to Commodity, Options, and Futures Markets; Business Budgeting 101; Business Credit 101; Quicken Tutorial: An Introduction; QuickBooks 101; and Accounting & Bookkeeping 101 for Everyone.
Are you interested in learning more about investing? The library offers two powerful databases for learning about investing and monitoring your investments.
- Morningstar Investment Research Center provides options for monitoring stocks as well as a classroom component where you can learn about stocks, funds, portfolios, and bonds. Webinars are offered weekly for anyone with a library card. Morningstar provides retirement and college savings advice as well.
- Value Line features daily commentaries providing users with timely information about the state of the stock market. The Value Line organization also maintains a YouTube channel with helpful videos including a monthly segment called “One Stock to Buy Right Now.”
In April, we celebrate Money Smart Week, a national public education program coordinated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago that is held each year to empower people to make better financial decisions. This year, Money Smart Week is being held from Saturday, April 9, through Saturday, April 16. During this week, you can learn more about saving, spending, borrowing, and planning.
Below is a listing of Money Smart Week free events:
-
Spend Smart. Eat Smart. | Monday, April 11 @ 1:00 p.m. CT
- Presented by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
-
Credit: Build & Improve It! | Tuesday, April 12 @ 1:00 p.m. CT
- Presented by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
-
Buying or Refinancing a Home: Options & Tools | Wednesday, April 13 @ 1:00 p.m. CT
- Presented by North West Housing Partnership
-
5 Steps Toward Your Financial Freedom | Thursday, April 14 @ 1:00 p.m. CT
- Presented by the Social Security Administration
Helpful Resources
In addition to presentations, each event webpage will include select online resources to complement the program topics. Please check out www.moneysmartweek.org to view and download these resources.
View more details at www.moneysmartweek.org. Events are free and open to the public, but registration is advised. Questions for the panelists can be submitted during the registration process.
