FM library event kicks off Financial Literacy Month

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BY SARAH CLENDINENG
Fort Madison Public Library

FORT MADISON - April is Financial Literacy Month and we’d like to share with you a few resources to help improve your financial literacy. Financial and estate planning is not just for the wealthy. It's important for everyone to have a clear view of their financial situation and develop tools to manage money well. Financial Literacy Month is a chance to spend a little bit of time increasing your financial literacy.

Twelve Months to Take Charge of Your Finances
In 2020, Karen Chan developed a program to spend a year taking a look at your full financial picture. Breaking different aspects of financial literacy into bite size pieces and tackling one each month can give you a chance to put your financial life on more solid ground and tune-up areas you have already been doing well in. This journey will kick off at the Fort Madison Public Library on April 1 with the viewing of a 30-minute introductory video and distributing the first month's resources.
Also, join the library’s Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/twelvemonthfinances, for monthly reminders of upcoming activities. Monthly handouts will be shared online and be available to pick up at the library. Miss a month or two? You can join anytime and access resources online and at the library. Over the course of twelve months we will cover topics like budgeting, debt evaluation, credit history, net worth, retirement and income tax.

Money Smart Week April 10-17
Virtual Money Smart Week 2021 will begin on Saturday, April 10. This week-long free virtual campaign aims to help people better manage their personal finances with a focus on those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each day, there will be a 15-20 minute session on a different topic. Events are free and open to the public, but registration is advised.

This year’s sessions are as follows:
• Saturday, April 10 @ 10:00 a.m., Talking Cents (The University of Chicago Financial Education Initiative)
• Sunday, April 11 @ 10:00 a.m., Saving (FINRA Investor Education Foundation)
• Monday, April 12 @ 12:00 p.m., Basic Banking (The Economic Awareness Council)
• Tuesday, April 13 @ 12:30 p.m., Student Loans (U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid)
• Wednesday, April 14 @ 1:00 p.m., Fraud Protection (Internal Revenue Service)
• Thursday, April 15 @ 1:00 p.m., Personal Finance (Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center)
• Friday, April 16 @ 12:00 p.m., Housing Protections + Resources (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
• Saturday, April 17 @ 10:30 a.m., Budgeting (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension)
View more details and register at www.moneysmartweek.org. Questions for the panelists can be submitted during the registration process.

Financial Literacy Books at the Library

  1. Personal Finance for Dummies by Eric Tyson (332.021 TYS)
  2. The Complete Guide to Personal Finance: for Teenagers and College Students by Tamsen Butler (YA 332.024 BUT)
  3. Money Talk: a Financial Guide for Women by Patricia Q. Brennan (332.024 BRE)
  4. Get It Together: Organize Your Records So Your Family Won’t Have To by Melanie Cullen (332.024 CUL)
  5. You Need a Budget by Jesse Mecham (332.024 MEC)
  6. Long-Term Care: How to Plan and Pay for It by J. L. Matthews(362.16 MAT)
  7. Broke Millenial Talks Money by Erin Lowry (332.024 LOW)
  8. Credit Repair: Make a Plan, Improve Your Credit, Avoid Scams by Amy Loftsgordon (332.7 LOF)

Upcoming Events at the Fort Madison Public Library – Masks are required to be worn in the library and at all in-person library programs.
1st Thursday @ the Library – April 1– Make the 1st Thursday of the month library day with no fines on overdue books returned that day, our book discussion group meeting at 1:30 and the launch of our monthly Take and Make craft-a Color It Yourself Butterfly Puzzle. This is also a chance to start a year-long journey of financial discovery with Twelve Months to Take Charge of Your Finances.
Pre-School/Toddler Story Hour –Wednesday morning at 10:30.
Thursday Crafternoon –Thursday, 3:30-5:00, for ages 14-adult. This program is an opportunity to spend some time working on an in-depth project for the whole month.
Hang Teen – Tuesday, 3:30-5:00 (except for April 6) for ages 12-19.
Minecraft –4:00-5:30, ages 9-18 on Mondays. Space is limited by the number of computers we have and we are not taking registrations this year. Please arrive promptly.
Wacky Wednesday – School is out early every Wednesday in April. On April 7, Lee County Extension will have a STEAM program “April Showers” beginning at 2pm. Join us other Wednesdays between 2pm and 4pm for a craft. April 28 will be Harry Potter day featuring a wizard and wand craft.
All Booked Up! - The library's book discussion group meets on the first Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. On Thursday, April 1, we will be discussing "Chesapeake Requiem” by Earl Swift. May 6 will be the book “Not a Sound” by Heather Gudenkauf. Copies of the book are available at the library for check out. Join us for a lively discussion.

activities, April, Column, director, Financial Literacy Month, Fort Madison Public Library, Pen City Current

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