More Iowans to become smart investors

Iowa Library Services (ILS)/State Library is delighted to announce it has received another Smart investing@your library® grant that will provide 18 underserved, rural Iowa communities with financial education through their local public libraries.
Iowa was selected to receive the grant from the American Library Association (ALA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation after successfully completing a similar project in 2010-11.

The project will provide each library with resources to present three events: a finance-related program and discussion, a six-week investment class and a post-class speaker. ILS/State Library will partner with Iowa State University Extension (ISUE) and Ames Public Library, also a previous grant recipient, to market the programs and select the $575 worth of investment resources each library will receive. ISUE staff will teach the courses. They will also work with individual libraries to target three demographic groups: Gen X, Baby Boomers and retirees.

ILS/State Library and ISUE will identify libraries that have the capacity and experience to successfully complete the program. The identified libraries will be invited to apply using a response form, and an information session will be provided before libraries are asked to commit to the project. Three libraries throughout six regions of the state will be selected for a total of 18. The selection process will take place in late August-early September. Programs will begin early January, 2013.

Alysia Peich, ILS/State Library consultant and project manager for the grant said, “I am  thrilled to have another opportunity to work with libraries to bring high quality, unbiased financial education and programming to 18 additional Iowa communities.”

“The success of the first project inspired us to work again with ISUE to offer classes in libraries and to design additional program pieces. The opportunity to continue the project is recognition that knowing how to navigate the economy continues to be important to Iowans, and that public libraries are trusted community resources well-positioned to provide help with that navigation.”

Smart investing@your library® is a partnership between the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. The program supports public libraries across the country in their efforts to meet financial education needs at the local level.

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. The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 60,000 members. Its mission is to promote the highest quality library and information services and public access to information. For more information, please visit www.ala.org or call 800-545-2433 ext. 4279.

FINRA is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the U.S. It is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. The FINRA Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that give underserved Americans the knowledge, skills and tools necessary for financial success throughout life.