Recent opinion polling has revealed that consumer confidence in the United States economy has plummeted. However, an even more important question to ask is: how's your confidence in your own economy, that is, your personal finances? This Fall, The New York Public Library is offering a number of programs educating New Yorkers on how to take control of their finances.

Financial Planning Day @ SIBL will be held on October 6, 2011. A number of classes on investing and financial planning, as well as financial database demonstrations, will be given throughout the day. Free sessions with certified financial planners will also be available to those who come to the Science, Industry and Business Library on 188 Madison Avenue at 34th Street.

Furthermore, beginning this month, the five neighborhood libraries NYPL has designated as Financial Education Centers — the Bronx Library Center, George Bruce Library, Mott Haven Library, St. George Library Center, and Seward Park Library — will be hosting regular programs on personal finance education as part of the Library's Money Matters series 

made possible by the generous support of the McGraw-Hill Companies' Financial Literacy Now Campaign.

During the preceding months, a number of titles were ordered focusing on the subject of personal finance in anticipation of the creation of the Financial Education Centers. Books on personal finance are generally found in call number 332.024 in many neighborhood libraries and have the subject heading: Finance, personal. Materials acquired especially for the Financial Education Centers have the word FINANCE on the call number label on the spine of each book and are located on dedicated shelving. Below is a sample of some of these titles.

Credit Management Kit for Dummies

Stephen R. Bucci/Wiley, 2011.

Credit Repair

Robin Leonard/Nolo, 2011.

Debt Free Forever: Take Control of Your Money and Your Life

Gail Vaz-Oxlade/Experiment, 2010.

Fight Back Against Unfair Debt Collection Practices: Know Your Rights and Protect Yourself from Threats, Lies and Intimidation

Fred O. Williams/FT Press, 2011.

Personal Finance for Seniors for Dummies

Eric Tyson/Wiley, 2010.

The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need Revised and Updated.

Andrew Tobias/Mariner Books, 2010.

30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances

Christine Benz/Wiley, 2010.

The Wall Street Journal Guide to the New Rules of Personal Finance: Essential Strategies for Saving, Investing and Building a Portfolio in a World Turned Upside Down

Dave Kansas/Harper Business, 2010.

Unfair Advantage: The Power of Financial Education: What Schools Will Never Teach Your About Money

Robert Kiyosaki/Plata, 2011.

Seven Steps to Financial Freedom in Retirement

Hank Parrott/Wiley, 2011.

Making the Most of Your Money Now: The Classic Best Seller

Jane Bryant Quinn/Simon & Schuster, 2010.

Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement and Medical Benefits 16th edition

Joseph L. Matthews/Nolo, 2011.

Estate Planning Basics 6th edition (on order)

Denis Clifford/Nolo, 2011.

Protecting Your Parents' Money: The Essential Guide to Helping Mom and Dad Navigate the Finances of Retirement

Jeff D. Opdyke/Harper Business, 2011.

Get It Together: Organize Your Records So Your Family Won't Have To 4th edition

Melanie Cullen/Nolo, 2010.

Buy, Close, Move In!: How to Navigate the New World of Real Estate—Safely and Profitably—and End Up with the Home of Your Dreams

Ilyce R. Glink/Harper, 2010.

Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home 3rd edition

Ilona Bray/Nolo, 2011.

1001 Ways to Pay for College: Practical Strategies to Make Any College Affordable 5th edition

Gen S. Tanabe/SuperCollege, 2011.

How to Pay for College: A Library How-To Handbook

Editors of the American Library Association/Skyhorse Publishing, 2011.