Learn How To Understand Financial Jargon

From the USA.gov Blog:  
Learn How To Understand Financial Jargon:
By Maggie Anderson from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
It can be hard to understand the language of financial products and services. Just what exactly is a grace period? What about an ARM? A balloon payment? And while the Internet can serve up an answer, how can you be sure it’s the right one?
Ask CFPB, a new interactive online tool from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), can help.
Say you’re thinking about buying a home. You could type in a question to Ask CFPB’s search box, or you could browse the list of questions in the Mortgage category. Once you’ve done a search, you can also filter by topic, like “fees” or “closing,” or by populations, like servicemembers, students, and older Americans.
Ask CFPB contains three general categories of questions and answers:

1. Definitions: Financial products and terms are often described in industry jargon. Ask CFPB translates the jargon into clear definitions. You can get answers to questions like, “What is a credit report?” or “What is a reverse mortgage?”
2. Explanations: Financial products can include many complicated terms and features, and it can be difficult for you to understand how they work. Ask CFPB provides you with general information and explanations on terms and features of financial products
3. Situations : Ask CFPB arms you with information and tips to help you navigate various situations. For example, you can use to the tool to ask, “What if my lender quoted me one rate at application but raised it at closing?”

Ask CFPB also lets you provide feedback. You can rate an answer “Helpful,” “Too long,” “Confusing,” or “Incorrect.” And if you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, you can submit a question for consideration.
Our Ask CFPB database currently contains more than 350 questions and answers, primarily focused on credit cards and mortgages. In the coming months, the CFPB will continue to build the database to answer questions about a range of financial products and services, including student loans, auto loans, checking and savings accounts, and prepaid cards.
So visit ConsumerFinance.gov/askcfpb, take a look, and let us know what you think!

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Upcoming Events at HPL

Girls, Books, and Dolls 2:00 pm, Saturday, March 24 Ages 3-12 Girls, (their dolls) and their mothers will choose books to read together and discuss, bond over a game and take home a craft. Snacks will be provided. Youth Services Department

eReader Class 6:00 pm, Monday, March 26 Do you have an eReader and want to learn how to download library books? If so, this class is for you.

Winter evening storytimes 6:45 pm, Monday, March 26 Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holidays tales and special fun. Each session ends with a craft. Registration required. Please call 722-7276, x230 Youth Services

Winter morning storytimes 11:00 am, Tuesday, March 27 Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holidays tales and special fun. Each session ends with a craft. Registration required. Please call 722-7276, x230 Youth Services

Intro to Zumba 6:00 PM, Tuesday March 27 Are you ready to party yourself into shape? That’s exactly what the Zumba� program is all about. It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health. Zumba Fitness� is the only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a "fitness-party" that is downright addictive. Learn more with Lois Morris as she leads an introductory class. Meets in the Julia Hackley Room. Free and open to the public.

Good Yarn Knitters 5:30 pm, Wednesday, March 28 Open to knitters of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced. Learn to knit, hone your skills, help other knitters! For more information call 231-722-7276 and ask for Jocelyn

Off the Wall Coffee House 6:30 pm, Wednesday, March 28 Come join us to celebrate the winners of our Off the Wall Writing and Drawing Contest. Coffee, hot chocolate and eats will accompany readings by winners. A Hackley Gallery will showcase work by top artists. Youth Services Department

Resumes 10:00 am, Thursday, March 29 This class will step you through creating a resume. Students will learn about formatting and the importance of tailoring their resume to fit the job to which they are applying. Attendees should bring a thumb drive so they can save their resumes. Registration starts two weeks prior to the class. To register call Hackley Library at 231-722-7276. The class is held at the Torrent House

Resumes 1:00 pm, Thursday, March 29 This class will step you through creating a resume. Students will learn about formatting and the importance of tailoring their resume to fit the job to which they are applying. Attendees should bring a thumb drive so they can save their resumes. Registration starts two weeks prior to the class. To register call Hackley Library at 231-722-7276. The class is held at the Torrent House

Winter evening storytimes 6:45 pm, Monday, April 2 Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holidays tales and special fun. Each session ends with a craft. Registration required. Please call 722-7276, x230 Youth Services

Winter morning storytimes 11:00 am, Tuesday, April 3 Storytelling, picture books, finger plays, holidays tales and special fun. Each session ends with a craft. Registration required. Please call 722-7276, x230 Youth Services

Gluten Free Cooking 6:00 PM, Tuesday April 3 Jeanette Waite, a nutritionist with Mercy Health Partners will discuss gluten free cooking. She’ll explain what it is and how to do it. She’ll have recipes and samples! Meets in the Julia Hackley Room. Free and open to the public. Brought to you through the generosity of the PNC Foundation.

Muskegon County Genealogical Society 6:30 – 9:30 pm, Tuesday, April 3 Muskegon County Genealogical Society Board meeting at the Torrent House.

Marbelized Easter Eggs 2:00 - 4:00 pm, Wednesday, April 4 Bring 2 or more hardboiled eggs. HPL’s Egg-stravaganza! Make amazing marbleized eggs with dots and stripes, initials and swirls. Drop in anytime during event hours. Families bring their own hardboiled eggs to take part.. Youth Services Department

Tech Wednesday-Publisher 2:30 pm, Wednesday, April 4 Tech Wednesdays Each class will cover a specific topic and run from 30 – 60 minutes. No registration is required, just show up! All classes will start at 2:30 pm in the Julia Hackley Room. If you have your own laptop feel free to bring it along, otherwise these are watch and learn classes. April 4 Publisher

Good Yarn Knitters 5:30 pm, Wednesday, April 4 Open to knitters of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced. Learn to knit, hone your skills, help other knitters! For more information call 231-722-7276 and ask for Jocelyn

Computer Class-Advanced Beginner 10:00 am, Thursday, April 5 Computer classes are offered on Thursdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. We provide the computers. Attendees should already be comfortable using a mouse and with basic computer skills. Space is limited to 18 people, and you may have to share a computer. Call 231-722-7276 two weeks before the start of class to register.

Computer Class-Advanced Beginner 1:00 pm, Thursday, April 5 Computer classes are offered on Thursdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. We provide the computers. Attendees should already be comfortable using a mouse and with basic computer skills. Space is limited to 18 people, and you may have to share a computer. Call 231-722-7276 two weeks before the start of class to register.

Paleo Joe-The Science Guy 2:00 pm, Saturday, April 7 Paleo Joe dresses the part of a “Digger” and introduces animals, plants, and creatures that have been extinct for millions of years. His high energy program brings life to these creatures of long ago. Join us to see what Paleo Joe digs up...Dinosaurs? Maybe. Youth Services Department

HPL's New Books

Below is a partial list of our new books. To see the full list, download the Excel file for: 2012.  To see new books from other years try:  2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, or 2006.

To sign up for this, or any of our newsletters, check out our Newsletter sign up page.

Desecration: Antichrist Takes the Throne By LaHaye, Tim Author Jenkins, Jerry B. 2011-03 - Tyndale House Publishers 9781414334981 Check Our Catalog His Excellency Global Community Potentate Nicolae Carpathia, no longer pretending to be a pacifist, has ordered every Morale Monitor armed as he prepares to travel along the Via Dolorosa and then onward to the temple, where shocking surprises await. …More

The Law and Lady Justice By Leigh, Ana Author Leigh, Anna 2003-06 - Silhouette Books 9780373273003 Check Our Catalog …More

Baltimore Blues By Lippman, Laura 1997-02 - Avon Books 9780380788750 Check Our Catalog Losing her job as a reporter, Tess Monaghan accepts a friend's request to follow his fiancee. Utilizing her journalist's instincts, Tess learns that the woman is a kleptomaniac and may be having an affair with her boss. After revealing her findings, the boss is murdered and Tess's friend is accused. Now it is up to Tess to learn the identity of the real killer. …More

The Dunwich Horror and Others By Lovecraft, H. P. 2010-10 - Createspace 9781453875117 Check Our Catalog …More

Trail of the Spellmans: Document #5 By Lutz, Lisa 2012-02 - Simon & Schuster 9781451608120 Check Our Catalog The long awaited fifth installment in the "New York Times"-bestselling, Edgar- and Macavity-nominated series about an eccentric sleuthing family. For the first time in Spellman history, Isabel Spellman, P.I., might be the most normal member of her family. Yet as a number of cases pile, Izzy won't stop hunting for the answers--even when they threaten to shatter both the business and the family. …More

One Snowy Knight By MacGillivray, Deborah 2009-10 - Zebra 9781420104509 Check Our Catalog With her latest novel, set in medieval Scotland, MacGillivray delivers a deeply romantic, poignant holiday tale about a mysterious warrior who brings a Yuletide miracle to a young widow. Original. …More

Family Affair By Macomber, Debbie 2011-01 - William Morrow & Company 9780061997129 Check Our Catalog This amazing story from #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author Debbie Macomber, one of the industry's most beloved authors, is available once again, after more than 10 years. …More

You...Again: Baby BlessedYesterday Once More By Macomber, Debbie 2011-12 - Mira Books 9780778312994 Check Our Catalog …More

Midaq Alley By Mahfouz, Naguib Author Mahfuz, Najib 1991-12 - Anchor Books 9780385264761 Check Our Catalog Considered by many to be Mahfouz's best novel, "Midaq Alley centers around the residents of one of the hustling, teeming back alleys of Cairo. No other novel so vividly evokes the sights and sounds of the city. The universality and timelessness of this book cannot be denied. …More

The White Lioness By Mankell, Henning 2003-05 - Vintage Books 9781400031559 Check Our Catalog Third in the Kurt Wallander series. The execution-style murder of a Swedish housewife looks like a simple case even though there is no obvious suspect. But then Wallander learns of a determined stalker, and soon enough, the cops catch up with him. But when his alibi turns out to be airtight, they realize that what seemed a simple crime of passion is actually far more complex--and dangerous. The search for the truth behind the killing eventually uncovers an assassination plot, and Wallander soon finds himself in a tangle with both the secret police and a ruthless foreign agent. Combining compelling insights into the sinister side of modern life with a riveting tale of international intrigue, The White Lioness keeps you on the knife-edge of suspense. …More

A Game of Thrones By Martin, George R. R. 1997-08 - Spectra Books 9780553573404 Check Our Catalog "A Game of Thrones is a contemporary masterpiece of fantasy. The cold is returning to Winterfell, where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime. A time of conflict has arisen in the Stark family, as they are pulled from the safety of their home into a whirlpool of tragedy, betrayal, assassination, plots and counterplots. Each decision and action carries with it the potential for conflict as several prominent families, comprised of lords, ladies, soldiers, sorcerers, assassins and bastards, are pulled together in the most deadly game of all--the game of thrones. …More

You Showed Me By McCoy, Nahisha 2010-09 - Melodrama Publishing 9781934157336 Check Our Catalog Dating a hustler was never on Naheema's to-do list. But after the charming yet deceptive Mike sweeps her off her feet, dating a hustler is the least of her worries. Mike's charming sweetness toward Naheema turns sour when the abuse, cheating, and his street mentality kicks in. The life of a hustler's woman takes its toll on Naheema physically, mentally, and emotionally, taking her from a fairy tale to a horror flick. But Naheema is learning from the best, and soon the tables turn and she holds Mike's future in her hands. Filled with action, grief, friendship, family ties, and the ultimate betrayal, You Showed Me exhibits what it means to be tried, be tested, and triumph. …More

Gathering of Waters By McFadden, Bernice L. 2012-01 - Akashic Books 9781617750328 Check Our Catalog Following her best-selling, award-winning novel "Glorious, " McFadden produces a fantastical historical novel featuring the spirit of Emmett Till. …More

Mr. and Miss Anonymous By Michaels, Fern 2011-12 - Zebra 9780821779576 Check Our Catalog HPL patron:  Good story …More

The Immortalists By Mills, Kyle Read by Darcie, Benjamin L. 2011-12 - Thomas & Mercer 9781612181509 Check Our Catalog …More

Darius Jones By Morrison, Mary B. 2011-06 - Dafina Books 9780758222626 Check Our Catalog …More

Unconditionally Single By Morrison, Mary B. 2010-07 - Dafina Books 9780758215185 Check Our Catalog "New York Times"-bestselling author Morrison thrills readers with another steamy, riveting tale featuring beloved heroine Honey Thomas, who's fighting to leave her troubled past behind. …More

Headhunters By Nesbo, Jo Translator Bartlett, Don 2011-09 - Vintage Books 9780307948687 Check Our Catalog With "Headhunters," Jo Nesbo has crafted a funny, dark, and twisted caper story worthy of Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers. FIRST TIME PUBLISHED IN THE U.S. NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM MAGNOLIA PICTURES. Roger Brown is a corporate headhunter, and he's a master of his profession. But one career simply can't support his luxurious lifestyle and his wife's fledgling art gallery. At an art opening one night he meets Clas Greve, who is not only the perfect candidate for a major CEO job, but also, perhaps, the answer to his financial woes: Greve just so happens to mention that he owns a priceless Peter Paul Rubens painting that's been lost since World War II--and Roger Brown just so happens to dabble in art theft. But when he breaks into Greve's apartment, he finds more than just the painting. And Clas Greve may turn out to be the worst thing that's ever happened to Roger Brown. …More

The Healing By Odell, Jonathan 2012-02 - Nan A. Talese 9780385534673 Check Our Catalog Troubled by his wife's disturbing mental state and concerned about a mysterious plague that is sweeping through the plantation in the pre-Civil War South, Master Satterfield purchases a slavewoman known as a healer. But the master gets more than he bargained for when Polly's sharp tongue and troubling predictions cause unrest throughout the plantation. …More

Animal Farm By Orwell, George Introduction by Woodhouse, C. M. Preface by Baker, Russell 1996-04 - Signet Book 9780451526342 Check Our Catalog In this controversial classic fairy tale, a farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With flaming idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality, setting the stage for one of the most telling satiric fables ever penned. Illustrations and Orwell's proposed but unpublished preface are included in this anniversary edition. Reissue. …More

The Last Station: A Novel of Tolstoy's Final Year By Parini, Jay 2009-11 - Anchor Books 9780307386151 Check Our Catalog Set in the last tumultuous years of Leo Tolstoy's life, The Last Station centers on the battle for his soul waged by his wife, Sofya Andreyevna, and his leading disciple, Vladimir Cherkov. Torn between his professed codtrine of poverty and chastity and the reality of his enormous wealth, his thirteen children, and a life of hedonism, Tolstoy makes a dramatic flight from his home. Too ill to continue beyond the tiny rail station at Astapovo, he believes that he is dying alone, whle over one hundred newspapermen camp outside awaiting hourly reports on his condidtion. A brilliant recreation of the mind and tortured soul of one of the world's greatest novelists, The Last Station is a richly inventive novel that dances bewitchingly between fact and fiction. …More

Bachelor's Puzzle By Pella, Judith 2008-04 - Gale Cengage 9781410405876 Check Our Catalog The Patchwork Circle series of novels develops the varied lives and interests of characters in a church sewing circle. The women in Maintown, Oregon, eagerly await the arrival of the new circuit-riding preacher--a man who turns out to be a handsome opportunist--in this tale thats a gentle reminder that God accomplishes His purposes, sometimes in spite of believers. …More

Shadow Strike By Pendleton, Don 2012-01 - Gold Eagle 9780373615506 Check Our Catalog Eco-Armageddon is the goal of a far-reaching group with the scope, vision, and power to strike oil rigs around the globe. With unprecedented disaster looming, Mack Bolan begins the hunt to identify and stop the terror dealers behind the threat. Original. …More

The Reader's Shelf

From Library Journal What Would You Do?  Inspiring Reads for Tough Times

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating By Bailey, Elisabeth Tova 2010-08 - Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill 9781565126060 Check Our Catalog A woman, confined to her bed, watches a snail on her night stand, living a life that mirrors the limitations of her own. What follows is an oddly compelling story of her discovery of companionship and beauty in the most unexpected of creatures. …More

The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir By Busby, Cylin Author Busby, John 2010-03 - Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 9781599904542 Check Our Catalog With their lives unraveling around them, the Busby family left everything and everyone they had ever known--and simply disappeared. As told by both father and daughter, this is a harrowing true story of a family, a brutal shooting, and the year that would change their lives forever. …More

365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life By Kralik, John 2010-12 - Hyperion Books 9781401324056 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title Personal and uplifting, "365 Thank Yous" is Kralik's inspiring memoir about how the seemingly ordinary act of writing thank you notes led him out of hopelessness and into fulfillment of lifelong dreams. HPL patron: The power of a thank you note- or rather 365 of them written by the author over 14 months is explored.  Kralik is engaging and tranparent in how the trials of his life were turned around is his quest for gratitude. …More

An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination By McCracken, Elizabeth 2010-02 - Back Bay Books 9780316027663 Check Our Catalog "A New York Times notable book of the year"--Cover. …More

Making Toast: A Family Story By Rosenblatt, Roger 2011-02 - Ecco Press 9780061825958 Check Our Catalog Though still reeling from their daughter's untimely death, Rosenblatt and his wife Ginny carry on, reconstructing a family, sustaining one another, and guiding three lively, alert, and tenderhearted grandchildren through the pains and confusions of grief. …More

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle and Generally Have By Rubin, Gretchen 2011-03 - Harper Paperbacks 9780061583261 Check Our Catalog A #1 "New York Times" bestseller, this relatable, inspiring project is the result of the author's 12-month adventure in becoming a happier person. Written with a wicked sense of humor and sharp insight, her story will inspire readers to embrace the pleasure in their lives and remind them how to have fun. …More