Money Smart Week: April 20- 26

MPPL will host two financial programs in support of Money Smart Week, an annual effort organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, intended to educate and inform consumers about all aspects of financial planning. These sessions will be presented by speakers endorsed by the Bank.

• Investment Planning: How NOT to Find Yourself up the Creek at Retirement
  Tuesday,  April 22, 2008    7:30 p.m.
  Financial advisor F. Bill Billimoria will discuss the importance of making the right choices when it comes to saving for a “Golden Pond retirement.” Based on his book, On Golden Pond…Or Up a Creek?, Billimoria will outline the eight barriers that often prevent individuals from achieving their financial goals and enjoying a financially secure retirement: Lack of Planning, Ignorance, Too Much Debt, Bad Investments, Lack of Protection, Inflation, Income Taxes, and Procrastination. Billimoria is a member of the Financial Planning Association of Illinois.
  This program is presented in support of Money Smart Week. Isabelle Flemming
• Planning for “What If…?” 
  Thursday, April 24, 2008   9 a.m.
  Estate planning for real people! The Library welcomes Karen Chan, consumer and family economics educator with the University of Illinois Extension, for an overview of ways to effectively prepare financially for emergencies or unexpected illness. What financial tools are available to aid families in the event of disability, incapacity, and death? Marriage, remarriage, and divorce? Whether your assets total $60 or $60,000,000, you need to have a plan to determine who will pay your bills and handle your finances, where the money will come from in case of emergencies and illness, how your property will be distributed, and how your dependents will be cared for.

Investment Planning: How NOT to Find Yourself up the Creek at Retirement (April 22, 7:30 PM)

Financial advisor F. Bill Billimoria will discuss the importance of making the right choices when it comes to saving for a “Golden Pond retirement.” Based on his book, On Golden Pond…Or Up a Creek?, Billimoria will outline the eight barriers that often prevent individuals from achieving their financial goals and enjoying a financially secure retirement: Lack of Planning, Ignorance, Too Much Debt, Bad Investments, Lack of Protection, Inflation, Income Taxes, and Procrastination. Billimoria is a member of the Financial Planning Association of Illinois.  Register Online or call 847/253-5675.

We have downloadable books!

Did you see the March 4 article in the Chicago Tribune Digital Page section?  We offer MyMediaMall, Net Library, and MyLibrarydv which allow you to download books and videos, free.  Select from popular fiction and nonfiction audiobooks or eBooks as well as videos of classic movies, cooking, travel, how-to, health, and exercise programs. The software is free and your materials are automatically returned, which means no late fees.  Better yet, it is accessible through our Web site so you can download anytime of day!  For more information, stop by the Library or just read Eric Gwinn’s Tribune article.  Gwinn does a great job of walking you through the process.  Either way you’ll be downloading in no time.

Ellis Island: Gateway to America (March 19, 7:30 PM)

To commemorate Women’s History Month, the Library presents a dramatic presentation of one woman’s journey to make a better life in a new land. Following her arrival on a cramped steamer at Ellis Island – in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty – our heroine must endure more hardship and overcome a series of obstacles before being able to participate in the American Experience.  Register Online or call 847/253-5675.

Other Information: This program is part of the Library’s participation in the Suburban Mosaic Program, which seeks to promote understanding of the many races and ethnic backgrounds of people living in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.