Financial Literacy in Public Libraries: A Guide for Building Collections: Library Programs
This guide was created by the ALA Office of Research & Evaluation, and funded by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. [New books added 6/21/24]
Library Programs
Library Financial Literacy Programs
Use these resources to develop, market, deliver, and evaluate financial literacy programs for a wide variety of audiences.
Tips for Creating Financial Literacy Programs
Adapted from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Community Partnership Guidebook
- Focus on tangible tasks
- Center programs around a concrete activity or skill that can be taught/practiced, like budgeting, shopping for loan rates, or identifying scams
- Build financial literacy topics into existing programs
- If you already have successful programs with a steady audience, try to incorporate a financial literacy topic into an upcoming offering. This can work for story time, book discussions, or film discussions
- Connect with local officials or organizations to offer programs
- Elected officials, nonprofit organizations, or government offices may already offer programs related to financial literacy topics. Reach out to these groups to see if they can offer the programs at your library, or if you can partner with them for an upcoming offering.
- Go into the community
- Don't wait for groups to come to you, go to them! Try sharing financial literacy resources at community fairs/festivals, open houses, or other events where people will be gathering
- Make written agreements
- If working with individuals/groups from outside of your library, put an agreement in writing about who will be responsible for which tasks, what content will be covered, and what is and is not allowed as part of the program. If you run into issues, you will have this agreement to point back to. See the guide book for sample agreements.
Programming Resources
- Financial Literacy Education in Libraries: Guidelines and Best Practices for ServiceGuidelines and standards established by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). The Guidelines were most recently updated in 2022.
Rainy Day Ready by ISBN: 9780838946312Publication Date: 2019-12-06A survey from the American Psychological Association shows that money is a more frequent cause of worry than work, family, or health issues. Empowering people with the knowledge to make sound financial decisions is an important way to make a difference in your community, and many libraries across the country are doing just that. Drawing from the expertise of business librarians and ALA's Public Programs Office (PPO), this book is a ready-to-use guide for offering financial literacy initiatives at your own library. Presenting 16 model programs from a variety of institutions, complete with budgets and funding sources, this resource shares resources for free outreach materials and training; approaches to Money Smart Week from institutions such as public libraries, a tribal library, and community colleges; tips for developing partnerships with members of the local business community; ways to facilitate discussions between parents and children about finances, such as creating a play and learn career center for children using the Family Place model; programming for teens, including a Harry Potter-themed financial literacy series; a program where a banker advises college students on questions to ask when shopping for credit cards; how to collaborate with health and social services agencies in order to reach immigrants and underserved populations; and methods for evaluating and strengthening a personal finance collection. Using these model programs and tools, you'll be taking steps to ensure that your library's users are rainy day ready.
- Community Partnership GuidebookA guide from the CFPB for libraries to use on building community partnerships.
- Smart investing@your library®A national program that builds the capacity of public and community college libraries to provide reliable, unbiased financial education resources and opportunities to the American public.
- Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GLFEC) Education ResourcesGFLEC was established at Georgetown University in 2011 and is now housed at Stanford University. Its research has helped to develop and create financial literacy programs and advise on financial literacy education policies. On their education page, you will find virtual programs, research-based educational guidelines, online courses, and recommendations for additional financial literacy resources.
- Your Life, Your MoneyReal-life stories from PBS showcasing young people overcoming financial struggles.
- Marketing MaterialsFinancial awareness marketing materials for libraries developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- Program Ideas for LibrariesProgramming ideas from CFPB on various personal finance topics.
- ProLiteracy Education NetworkA series of free lessons to enhance life skills (including lessons on personal finance). ProLiteracy is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for adults by building their literacy skills.
- Focus on Reentry: A Companion Guide to Assist Organizations, Their Staff, and Volunteers Working with Justice-Involved IndividualsA programming toolkit from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for helping probationary individuals overcome financial capability challenges.
Suggested Program Topics
Adapted from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's program ideas page.
- Shopping for your auto loan
- Finding reliable information for financial decisions
- Reducing or managing your debt
- First time homebuyer workshop
- Protecting your identity
- Talking money for couples
- Signing up for social security
- Preventing elder financial abuse
- Teaching your kids about money
- Reality check for teens
Many of these topics can be offered easily in partnership with your local or federal government offices or nonprofit agencies. Check out the CFPB partnership guidebook for additional help.
Marketing and Evaluating Your Programs
Check out the resources below for vetted tips and tools to market and evaluate your programs.
Marketing Resources
- Smart investing@your library marketing ideasDownloadable guides for talking to media and getting attention for your programs.
- CFPB DownloadsFree, downloadable flyers, bookmarks, and screensavers to share financial literacy information in your library.
- CFPB Bulk PublicationsOrder free CFPB publications, including topics for children and seniors, to be sent to your library.
Evaluation Resources
- Smart investing@your library evaluation ideasDownloadable resource guides for creating evaluation tools to use for financial literacy programs.
- CFPB Five PrinciplesCFPB research has found five principles that are effective in creating effective financial education for consumers.