Colorful displays present monetary facts in ‘Thinking Money’ exhibit

Kids are learning the basics of dollars and cents through a new exhibit at the Homewood Public Library that opened Saturday, April 7. Colorful panels, games, and iPad information kiosks are presenting information that distilled the world of economics into terms students ages 10 through 16 and their families can understand and apply to their daily lives.

Kids are learning the basics of dollars and cents through a new exhibit at the Homewood Public Library that opened Saturday, April 7.
 

Colorful panels, games, and iPad information kiosks are presenting information that distilled the world of economics into terms students ages 10 through 16 and their families can understand and apply to their daily lives.
 

“The Thinking Money: A Financial Expedition” exhibit will be on display through May 3 at the library, 17917 Dixie Highway. The exhibit is presented by the American Library Association and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation. The library is one of the last of 50 sites from across the country to receive the exhibit.
 

The library staff made room on the first floor for the displays that stand about 10 feet tall. Each panel features cartoon characters sharing messages about paying interest, financial fraud, money mind tricks and financial planning for your future. There also are two carpets with money messages on credit.
 

In addition, the panels include nuggets of information, such as: “76 percent of Americans give themselves high marks for financial knowledge, but only 37 percent score a passing grade.”
 

Board member Jacoba Ward, who went through several sections of information on the iPad, said she was amazed by some of the facts, including that $27.2 billion a year is spent on storage units.
 

Chicago Heights resident Julia Cazares spent time reading the panels. 
 

“It’s very interesting, and I like how the story lines are presented,” she said, adding she was learning new information, and paid special attention to the highlights on paying interest on debt.
 

Over the next several weeks, the library will host a variety of special events centered around the exhibit, and patrons in all sections of the library will get suggestions for additional financial knowledge through book displays and printed materials.
 

Teens can sign up for a scavenger hunt that will have them look for clues within the exhibit. Once they answer five questions correctly, they will be entered into a drawing for Fuji film and an Instax Mini camera.
 

George Bouchie, president of the library’s board, gave special thanks to librarian Mary Wegrzyn who was instrumental in bringing the exhibit to Homewood. She then thanked co-workers Stephanie Ferkula, Caitlin Archer-Helke and Kelly Campos for their special assistance.