The need for basic financial literacy skills is great across our three county service area in Oklahoma and has become even more evident following the devastation experienced after a series of deadly tornadoes ripped through several of our library communities in May of 2013. Pioneer Library System was awarded a Smart Investing @your library® grant to help address that original demonstrated need for financial literacy prior to the storms and through their flexibility we were able to adjust our original grant programs to respond quickly and create a separate series targeting financial and mental health needs titled, “Resilience in the Heartland”.

Working with the Oklahoma Disaster Recovery Project and Red Cross staff we identified families that had been impacted and invited them to a series of evening programs that covered financial basics taught by Credit Counselors, tax tips for tornado survivors taught by members of the Oklahoma society of CPA’s and mental health resources for children and individuals were provided by OK Strong. Library System staff are no different from the average citizens in the need for financial literacy and indeed nearly 20 direct library staff experienced losses ranging from minor impact to complete loss of homes, cars and all personal possessions.

A 6 week workout themed program for financial literacy skills was created by the Consumer Credit Counseling Service that would help combine library staff and local citizens from 11 targeted governmental, educational and tribal groups as attendees so that they could become better acquainted with each other through a shared learning program over the lunch hour. Each session was held onsite at the community employers’ location so that travel was not needed to attend and lunch was provided by local caterers.

Time was strategically built in for knowledge and resource sharing across organizations. Library staff from administrators to shelvers became classmates with Citizen Pottawatomi Nation and Kickapoo Tribal members, local educators from the Career tech center, and city hall employees.

Local City Managers, Police and Fire chiefs and other community leaders were also boot camp graduates. One city even gave continuing education and health credits to employees that completed the sessions.

A dedicated portal on the PLS website contained financial literacy topics such as Your Fiscal Strength, Booyah for your Budget, Credit Crunches, and Debt Drills.

Mobile resource centers were deployed to all 11 libraries and to community employer locations so that all had access to the same resources regardless if they were able to attend the boot camps. At a Technology Center for example the mobile resource center is located in the student commons so over seven thousand students and staff have access. In Moore the center is located in City Hall so all City staff and citizens who come to pay utilities or attend municipal court have access. Free credit reports and the opportunities for review with a financial counselor were included.

Since completion of these boot camps we have experienced an increased awareness of library services and increased partnerships. Hundreds across our service area have reviewed their credit reports. Many reported increases in their credit scores since completion of the program. One tribe required members who had applied for financial pay day assistance to complete the six week boot camp series. After visiting sessions in Norman, community leaders and the United Way have come together and created a new group called FAN -the Financial Alliance Network.

Following the end of our grant they began hosting free programs modeled after the Fiscally Fit boot camps at the library that target their social service agency clients. Nowhere have the benefits been greater than at our Resilience in the Heartland series for storm survivors. Beyond learning the financial basics, citizens and library staff were brought together and ended up helping each other as much as they were helped by the resources. Class mates under the direction of skilled financial and mental health counselors shared their stories of survival and were able to learn about even more programs the library offers with the Red Cross and others including the Pillowcase Project for children, community dinners and emergency preparedness programs with free resources such as hand crank storm radios and supply kits.

While we cannot ever predict the weather in our communities we can ensure that our customers have access to the resources needed to help them weather whatever storms may come.