Financial Literacy Literature in U.S. Public Libraries: Exploring Common Resources in Our Collections

Abstract

As libraries continue to explore their role in the financial literacy movement, it is important to understand the role libraries’ collections might play. Public libraries in the United States frequently offer both programming and resources related to this topic, and librarians may benefit from a deeper understanding of the content of the most common resources in their collections. In this literature study, the author explored 10 of the resources most likely to be found in public libraries’ collections as determined by searches of the catalogs of the largest U.S. libraries. This study will benefit librarians by enhancing their own financial literacy, extending their understanding of their collections’ content, and prompting a deeper exploration of the interrelation between collections and programming.