The Watertown Regional Library has received the Thinking Money for Kids grant, which will help promote financial literacy among young people. This grant, a partnership between the American Library Association (ALA) and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, is awarded to only 300 libraries across the nation.
With the grant, the library now has access to a collection of resources aimed at teaching children key financial concepts in a fun and easy-to-understand way. Topics include saving, spending, sharing, and budgeting.
The grant also allows the library to offer five financial literacy games and six launchpad tablets, which can be checked out by library visitors. These tools will be added to the library’s current children’s programs, such as Little STEAMers, STEAM, and Grade 4-6 Hangout. Each game focuses on a different aspect of financial literacy.
For teenagers, the Watertown Regional Library has developed a special financial literacy game called “Budget Simulation.” This interactive game helps teens learn how to manage their money. The library plans to work with Watertown High School to implement the game, where students will play characters with assigned jobs, salaries, and family situations. They will make decisions about living expenses, like housing and transportation, to see if their income can support their lifestyle.
In addition to youth programs, the Watertown Regional Library is hosting a Financial Literacy Series for adults this spring.
These free events, held in the library’s Community Room, will cover important financial topics:
- April 15 at 5:30 PM: Financial Topics with Dakotaland – Topics include loans, credit cards, credit scores, budgeting, and more.
- April 22 at 12:15 PM: Financial Planning Strategies with Thrivent – The focus will be on retirement planning, long-term care, and estate planning.
- May 6 at 12:15 PM: More than One Way Out with Lutheran Social Services – This session will discuss bankruptcy and debt counseling.
- May 13 at 11:00 AM: Social Security and Medicare – A representative from the Senior Health Information and Insurance Education (SHIINE) program will answer questions about Medicare.
The Watertown Regional Library’s new programs and resources highlight its commitment to providing valuable financial knowledge to people of all ages.
