CheckItOut@WrightLibrary from Wright Memorial Public Library http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143 <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small">Welcome to the Reference Department Blog. Visit often for information on programs and events, featured research tools, book lists, and Web resources. We encourage you, our patrons, to <a href="http://engagedpatrons.org/ContactUs.cfm?SiteID=4725">give feedback and share</a> your own favorite resources and books. Join us in creating a unique resource for the Wright Library Community. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Copyright 2013 Wright Memorial Public Library en-us Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:25:47 CDT Consumer Financial Information http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=12202 The holiday shopping season can put pressure on a family's budget and also expose any of us to fraud and scams.  Last year we suggested several Web sites with ideas and educational material for protecting ourselves during this busy time and all year.  This year we offer a couple more:  Consumer.gov and Consumerfinance.gov.

Both of these sites focus on how to protect your financial integrity.  They are concerned with money management, credit and debt, as well as protecting yourself from identity theft and other scams.  At Consumer.gov you will find information sheets on every day financial matters such as bank accounts,  budgets, and credit cards as well as advice on using credit and avoiding identity theft.  Consumerfinance.gov focuses more on financial products, such as mortgages and credit cards, so that consumers understand them and are not hurt by mismanaging them.

You might also want to check out the National Endowment for Financial Education.

]]> Reference Staff Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:42:49 GMT Morningstar Investment Research Center http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=11369 The Morningstar Investment newsletters are no longer available in print.  Wright Library patrons can now enjoy access to the Morningstar Investment Research Center online.  This resource is only available in the Library at our public computers.  Research more than 23,000 stocks and mutual funds; build and analyze an investment portfolio; and learn about stocks, mutual funds, and portfolios.  Along with a wealth of data, there are numerous educational resources (self-paced course, articles, and videos) which will help you learn the basics of investing and make informed decisions.

If you have any questions, our Reference Staff is available to help you learn how to use the Morningstar Investment Research Center. 

]]> Reference Staff Fri, 07 Sep 2012 11:08:37 GMT National Financial Literacy Month http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=8716 Did you know that April is National Financial Literacy Month? That’s right, there’s a whole month dedicated to promoting the importance of financial literacy and teaching Americans the basics of financial education.  There's even a presidential proclamation.

Personal finance education should begin at an early age and continue for a lifetime.  Wright Library provides many books and magazines in this area.  Below are listed some additional online resources.


In 2000, the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, a national coalition of financial education advocates, began promoting April as Financial Literacy for Youth Month. In March 2004, the U.S. Senate passed Resolution 316 which officially designated April as National Financial Literacy Month.

]]> Reference Staff Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:54:41 GMT Help in Tough Times http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=4901 Help in Tough Times from the State Library of Ohio

The State Library of Ohio has created a resources page for finding help in these difficult economic times.  The resources are divided into the following categories.

There are additional resources available at the State of Ohio Help Center, including  Live Chat to get your questions answered immediately.

Wright Library makes more resources available through this blog.  Check out the posts in the Consumer Information, Employment, and Finance categories.

]]> Reference Staff Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:56:15 GMT Managing Money Online http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=4325 Find other posts in the series in the Employment and Finance categories.

Continuing our series of posts on resources that can help you in tough economic times, we focus now on money management.  All of us can do better about how we spend money and a big part of that is being aware of how you spend money.  Below are tools and tips for managing your money.

Tools

Tips

  • Getting Through Tough Financial Times from the University of Illinois Extention
  • Manage Your Money - a self-study course from the Ohio State Univserity Extension
  • TipJar - a collection of money saving

    ]]> Reference Staff Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:17:34 GMT Preventing and Coping with Foreclosure http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=3629 Unfortunately, in these uncertain financial times some homeowners are facing the possibility of foreclosure.  Numerous resources exist to help homeowners prevent, as well as deal with, foreclosure.  A good place to start is Save the Dream - Ohio's Foreclosure Prevention Effort.  The following resources provide additional information and access to programs designed to help homeowners.

    Local help

    Additional Ohio resources include:

    • Avoiding Foreclosure from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency which also offers other Homeownership Programs
    • Foreclosure Intervention from ]]> Reference Staff Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:58:17 GMT Investment Resources @ Wright Library http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=3530 The following resource list comes from a handout from the Investment Resources Workshop sponsored by the Reference Department.  The Library has numerous investment and financial resources to help individual investors grow their money.  Reference librarians are always glad to assist our patrons in learning about our resources and how to use them.

      Financial Newsletters

      Investment newsletters offer a happy medium between educating the investor and providing direct recommendations. They cover various sectors, markets, and investment philosophies. Which newsletter you follow will depend on what you wish to achieve through investing. The Hulbert Financial Digest monitors investment newsletter performance and may be a good place to start.

      • Chartist
      • Dow Theory Forecasts*
      • Dow Theory Letters*
      • DRIP Investor*
      • Fidelity Monitor
      • Hulbert Financial Digest
      • Independent Advisor for Vanguard Investors*
      • Kiplinger Washington Letter*
      • Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street
      • Moneyletter*
      • Morningstar Mutual Funds*
      • NoLoad Fund X (includes Mid-month Report)*
      • Outlook*
      • Personal Finance*
      • Prudent Speculator*
      • Value Line Investment Survey - Standard Edition*
      • Value Line Mutual Funds Survey*
      • Value Line Special Situations Service*
      • Value Line Selection and Opinion*
      • Value Line Small and Mid-Cap Edition*

      *Online access is available in the Library. See the Reference Staff for assistance.

      ]]> Reference Staff Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:18:53 GMT Investment Program http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=4725&BlogID=143&BlogPostID=3496

      With the on going financial crisis, many investors and want-to-be investors have questions about what strategies to use.  The Library offers numerous investment resources (Find a list here.) and is offering a program to inform our patrons as to what they are and how to make use of them.

      Investment Resources Workshop

      Two dates!
      Monday, October 6 at 6:30 p.m.
      Wednesday, October 15 at 2:30 p.m.
       
      Join local Edward Jones financial advisor Bob Collins for general investing information with tips on using the Library's financial newsletters.  A Wright Library Reference Librarian will introduce other investment resources available at the library.
      A list of investment resources available at Wright Library.

      No registration is necessary for the program.  If you have any questions, please contact the Reference Department.

      ]]> Reference Staff Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:39:24 GMT