How Money Smart Are You?

Want to improve your financial literacy and get on track to secure your financial future? Olney Library is hosting a number of programs for Money Smart Week, which begins April 22! Stop by and check out our display with handouts from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Social Security Administration and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Take part in workshops such as:

→"Building a Better Future for Your Family"

→“Create a Financial Road Map” (registration required), and

→“Debt Collection: Know Your Rights” 

Teens in grades 6-8 can submit an essay on the connection between financial health and physical health—learn more here. Kids can start thinking about the importance of saving money by guessing the number of pennies at the Circulation Desk. Prizes will be handed out for both activities! And our Money Smart Week Game Day on Friday, April 28, will be a fun way for children and teens to begin thinking about money-saving strategies for their future.

MCPL has a full range of books, videos and online tools to help you set and reach your financial goals. Test your knowledge of MCPL’s finance resources by taking our “Finding Financial Info at the Library” Quiz. We’ve included some sample questions below to help get you started (if working from home, you may need to enter your library card number to access online databases). Answers will be uploaded at the end of the month. Good luck!

1. Which honored Marylander is expected to grace the front of the US $20 bill?

Hint:  She escaped from slavery in 1849 and later became a prominent abolitionist, humanitarian and suffragist. Last month, a new National Parks Service center was opened in honor of her life's work and legacy on MD’s Eastern Shore, near the former plantation where she was born.

2. Does MCPL offer business e-magazines, or electronic magazines? Please list any two.

Hint:  From MCPL's website, go to “Books, Movies, Music,” click on "Find," then “E-Magazines.”  Under Zinio, scroll down to “Available Titles.” Click on “Learn More,” then “Browse Magazines.” On the right side of the screen, click on “All Genres,” then drop down to “Business & Finance” for a full list of titles.

  ANSWER:  BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK; THE ECONOMIST; ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE; FORBES; INC. MAGAZINE; KIPLINGER'S PERSONAL FINANCE; NEWSWEEK

3. What is the Dewey decimal “call number” for personal finance? (first 3 digits only)

Hint:  This classification system, created by Melvil Dewey in 1873, organizes library materials by subject. Go to MCPL’s home page and type “personal finance” into the “Search Library Catalog” bar in the middle of the page. Look for “Call Number” in the first record and write down the first 3 numbers.

ANSWER:  332

4. Does MCPL carry books (including CD-Books, e-books, and audiobooks) by or about Warren Buffett, considered one of the most successful investors in the world?  If so, how many?

Hint:  From the MCPL home page, type in “Warren Buffett” in the “Search Library Catalog” box in the center of the page.

5. Does MCPL offer electronic access to Consumer Reports magazine?  A recent cover story was “The New Retirement” by Tobie Stanger, who wrote, “Everything you thought you knew about retirement has changed, but it’s never too late to pivot to a new approach—or too early to start planning.” Can you track down the month this story was published?

Hint:  From MCPL’s website click on "Research," "Subjects," then "Consumer Information." Follow the steps listed for "Consumer Reports Articles" and type in “New Retirement” in the search box.

6. You are shopping for a reliable used car. Which resource would be most helpful?

a.  Your neighbor’s 10-year-old son.

b.  Consumer Reports magazine, which evaluates products, and is available in print at most MCPL libraries and on the library website.

c.  Washington Consumer’s Checkbook magazine, which evaluates local services. It is available on the library website (at library branches only), and it is also available in print at many MCPL libraries.

7. Does MCPL’s catalog show that it owns copies of the classic text on investing strategy titled A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel?

1.  Yes, the library system owns print copies of this book.

2.  Yes, the libraries own both print copies and audiobook copies.

3.  No, the library does not have this book.

 

9. On MCPL's Investing & Personal Finance page, users can click a tab called “Managing Your Money” to see a list of retirement planning organizations known for their educational focus. Which website is NOT listed here?

a.  The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Retirement Planning website

b.  The U.S. Department of Labor’s Retirement Savings Education Campaign website

c.  The 1-888-GIV-CASH website

d.  The Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) website


Thank you for taking our quiz! ☺

Want to read more? Check out our earlier blog posts.