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But the idea didn’t take off until steel magnate Andrew Carnegie selected public libraries as one of his community projects. Carnegie recognized that many communities wanted libraries in their towns but didn’t have the funds to construct a building or gather a collection. He agreed to handle the upfront costs of establishing a library if the community committed to funding its operation. Between 1886 and 1923, he built 1,687 libraries, cementing their status as a fundamental part of any community. Over the 20th century, libraries became an essential aspect of most school buildings, a pride of academic institutions, and a pillar of knowledge in countless towns and cities. While earlier libraries mostly carried nonfiction works, libraries eventually began branching out into more popular fiction novels. Before long,
library collections added music and film and granted free access to computers and other digital materials.
Today, libraries remain one of the last spaces where all people are welcome, no purchase required. They also continue to provide books, music, internet access, and meeting spaces to communities that could otherwise not afford them. But with the advent of Amazon and the World Wide Web, their prominence is a thing of the past. It doesn’t have to be that way. When was the last time your family took a trip down to the local library? Set aside an hour or two to visit, and you’ll likely find that it offers more than you realized. The magic of libraries isn’t gone; it just needs to be recaptured. Maybe I’ll see you among the stacks.
With These 3 Tips Improve Your Credit Score By the End of the Year
Maintaining a strong credit score is incredibly important, especially with rising inflation. A high credit score will help you qualify for lower interest rates and obtain loans for high-cost items, such as homes or cars. We’re not taught much about credit in school, so many people make the mistake of opening credit cards or taking out loans they can’t pay off. This causes their credit score to go down. It’s not easy to improve your credit score once it’s taken a big hit, but you can do a few things to help it improve gradually.
Here are a few tips to improve your credit score by the end of the year.
Pay your bills on time. Payment history is the most influential factor in your credit score. If you aren’t paying your bills on time, you won’t see any improvement in your credit score. Lenders don’t want to loan to someone who has a history of missing payments; it’s an unnecessary risk on their part. Make your payments on time, and if you can’t afford the total amount, pay the minimum amount due. Interest will accrue, but your credit score will be untarnished. Keep old accounts open. If you’re trying to improve your credit rating, you’re likely making every effort to pay off your bills and balances. You may be tempted to close out each account as you pay it off, but doing so
will not improve your credit score; it’s more likely to hurt it. Closing an account lowers your maximum credit limit, which can lower your score. If the account has a record of on-time payments and you paid it off, leave it open. Only apply for new accounts when necessary. When you go shopping at your favorite store, they’ll likely ask if you want to open a store credit account to save additional money. Don’t do it. Each new account you apply for will show up on your credit report and lower your score by a few points. Try to get pre- approved if you’re trying to take out a large loan for a vehicle or home purchase. That way, if you are pre-approved, you don’t need to apply for the loan, which will save your credit score.
2 • NortonAccountingServices.com
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