Know Your Consumer Rights (and Responsibilities) Understanding Credit Basics

Gr 9 Up—As the title promises, these films will help young adults become more savvy consumers of credit and financial services. Understanding Credit Basics introduces credit, defines the three types of consumer credit, and discusses how to build and protect credit. Using Credit Wisely explains how to obtain, understand, and wisely use credit cards, incorporating information about the provisions of the 2009 Credit Card Act. Know Your Consumer Rights describes eight consumer rights and their corresponding responsibilities and discusses the history and services of federal consumer protection laws and agencies. Although content is interrelated, overlap is limited and the three films are strongly pro-consumer and encourage students to know and exercise their rights. Each title is divided into chapters, with a review segment at the end. Technical quality is very good, with live-action footage combined with graphics that list main points or define terms. Although the information is clearly presented, the series uses advanced terminology and almost all of the people depicted are at least in their twenties. The series is best suited to high school students who would be more likely to see the importance of having good credit and identify with the young people featured. The accurate information and the inclusion of material about recent legislation makes the series a good choice for libraries serving upper level students.—Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO