After months of hard work, the staff at the Pelham Public Library recently received a grant worth almost $90,000 to help the local community learn about smart financial planning.

Library staff has hit the ground running, with new resources through the Internet and in the library for citizens. More than that, though, the library is reaching out into the community and speaking to Pelham’s youth, setting them down the path to responsible financial choices before they have a chance to develop bad habits.

The programs for kids are creative, seeking to reach kids on their levels instead of lecturing them. For the youngest kids, learning about money is fun with story time and songs at the library. Older kids get to try their hands at poetry about money, while high schoolers will learn how to be financially independent.

If you got through your childhood and teenage years without financial education and developed some bad habits as a result, you’re in luck. The library is also holding programs for adults and senior citizens focusing on financial stability and security.

For those who can’t continually attend programs at the Pelham library, the staff also added new features to the library website, including retirement calculators, the ability to check credit scores and tools to save for college, among other features. That website can be found at Pelhamlibrary.com.

With the continued economic uncertainty, these programs come at a perfect time. We hope Pelham citizens will take advantage, and other county libraries should do their best to follow suit.

The We Say is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial board.