Book lovers flock to their local library to pick up a favorite classic or the latest bestseller. But today library visitors also want and need a whole lot more. In addition to providing traditional services, librarians help diverse groups of people navigate a complicated world, including how to avoid scams.
As for scams, there’s one thing we know for sure: we’re all consumers – and we’re all targets for fraud. Scammers are good at what they do. They’re professionals who know how to create confusion and prey on emotions to throw people off-balance just long enough to take advantage. Our job is to give people a heads-up so that maybe they don’t get knocked off balance and they don’t get ripped off.
What does that heads-up look like? It depends on the topic and the community. The FTC wants to help librarians help all their patrons. That’s why we asked legal services lawyers, librarians, ESL teachers, military counselors and others working in various communities: What kinds of scams do your folks experience? What do they need to know? What’s the best way to reach them? Then we developed resources to address those needs for: people with challenges reading English, older patrons, Spanish-speakers, identity theft victims, new arrivals, and families looking to start a conversation with kids about digital literacy and living life online. Coming soon are tips and tools to address the particular consumer challenges military families face.
We’ve gathered these resources in one convenient spot, FTC.gov/Libraries. It’s a great place to start exploring ways to fight fraud. Librarians can:
- Use the content in library programming.
- Order free copies of bookmarks and other print resources.
- Add information to your newsletters, sites, or social networks. We have about 100 videos – they make great snackable tips for your social media!
Take a look around FTC.gov/Libraries – we’d love to hear what think.
