December Holidays Helps

The holiday shopping season is under way. Malls, shopping centers, highways and homes are bustling with activities. Below are links to information on sensible shopping, travel conditions, home safety and events in Kansas during December.

The staff of the State Library of Kansas wish you all a safe and happy holidays season.

SHOPPING TIPS

Holiday Shopping on a Budget
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt082.shtm
(Helpful suggestions from the Federal Trade Commission)

Online Holiday Shopping Tips
http://www.dis.arkansas.gov/security/pdf/November%202009%20-%20Online%20Holiday%20Shopping%20Tips.pdf
(From the Arkansas Dept. of Information Services)

Preventing Holiday Shopping Headaches
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cfocus/cfholidayshopping02/focus.htm
(Online pamphlet from the Federal Citizen Information Center)

Online Secure Shopping
http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/online-shopping.aspx
(From OnGuardOnline.gov)

HOLIDAY PERSONAL SAFETY

Holiday Safety
http://www.sedgwickcounty.org/fire/holiday_safety.htm
(Shopping, at home, Christmas trees and decorations, kitchen safety)

Mall Safety
http://kevincoffee.com/mall/mall_safety_tips_for_the_holiday_season.htm

Personal Security Tips
http://www.kumc.edu/police/crime_prev_crime_shop.html
(University of Kansas Police Department)

Helpful Advice from
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's
SAFE KIDS KANSAS program
http://www.kdheks.gov/safekids/media_news.html
--Toy Safety
http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2009/11232009.htm
--Kitchen Safety for the Holiday Season
http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2009/11162009.htm
--Decorate Safely for the Holidays
http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2008/12012008.htm
--Remember the Recalls When Toy Shopping
http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2008/11262008.htm

EVENTS AROUND THE STATE

Kansas Local Chambers of Commerce
http://www.kansaschamber.org/mx/hm.asp?id=LocalChamberDirectory
(Check town websites for local events calendars)

Travel Kansas
http://www.travelks.com/
(Check under Events and Things to Do for events, activities and displays)

TRAVEL

Flight Delay Information
http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp
(Federal Aviation Administration)

National Traffic and Road Closure Information
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/Trafficinfo/
(State links from the US Federal Highway Administration)

The National Weather Service in Kansas
---Dodge City NWS
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ddc/
---Goodland NWS
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/gld/
---Kansas City NWS
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/eax/
---Topeka NWS
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/top/
---Wichita NWS
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ict/

Current Kansas Road Conditions
http://511.ksdot.org/KanRoadPublic_VE/Default.aspx
(Or just call 511 on your phone from anywhere in Kansas. From: Kansas Department of Transportation)

Article contact: Bill Sowers
(Check out recent additions to our collection here)

Finding Kansas Annotated Regulations

Say you've heard that there is a state regulation regarding "on-call time" and the number of hours you can work. At least that's what you've been told. Do you want to see if that's true? Sure you do!

The easiest way to find a certain regulation is to obtain the regulation number. How do you do that? Consider which agency would regulate the topic you're researching. In this example, it is the Kansas Department of Labor. If you are unsure which agency would regulate your topic or need further help finding the regulation number, call the librarians at the State Library at 785-296-2149 or at 1-800-432-3924.

Once you have the regulation number, you can find it online at the Secretary of State's website:
http://www.kssos.org/

Once there, click on "publications" from the menu at the left, then on "legal publications, then on "regulations" or, you can go directly to the regulations page:
http://www.kssos.org/pubs/pubs_kar.aspx

This page gives a description of what Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R.) are and how they're developed. It also gives links to:

2008 KAR Supplement- KARs that were filed between 12/31/2005 and 1/1/2008
http://www.kssos.org/other/Final_2008_KAR_Supplement.pdf

2006 KAR Volumes by Agency Number- for KAR's filed prior to 2005
http://www.kssos.org/pubs/pubs_kar.aspx and

2006 KAR Volumes by Agency Name- for KAR's filed prior to 2005
http://www.kssos.org/pubs/pubs_kar.aspx

Click on either of the 2006 KAR Volumes links and enter in your regulation number in the "Find" box in the upper right-hand corner of the document. This will take you directly to the regulation within the document.

It is recommended that you check the 2008 KAR Supplement to ensure that your regulation has not been amended or revoked since 2005.

***Note: if your regulation was filed AFTER 1/1/2008, you will have to search for it in the Kansas Register:
http://www.kssos.org/pubs/pubs_kansas_register.asp

If you want to see the search in action watch this video to learn more.


Article contact: Kim Harp
Check out recent additions to our collection here.

Thanksgiving

Football, food and family! The Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching and this KGI Blog issue provides you with a table full of information on all the above plus some history of the day and a bit of etiquette advice for those large gatherings. Happy Thanksgiving!

GENERAL INFORMATION

Thanksgiving at USA.gov
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Thanksgiving.shtml
(Information from the federal government. You want it! They have a lot of it!)

Thanksgiving Aids for Teachers
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/thanksgiving/ (From the Library of Congress)

History of Thanksgiving
http://www.history.com/content/thanksgiving
(From the History Channel)

The Pilgrim Story
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/museum.htm
(From Pilgrim Hall Museum)

Investigating the First Thanksgiving
http://plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html
(You are the historian!)

Deconstructing the Myths of “The First Thanksgiving”
http://www.oyate.org/resources/shortthanks.html
(From Oyate, an organization that works to portray Native American history in a more historic light. Refutes or explains many of the stories/legends of the English settlers who landed at
Plymouth, Massachusetts and the Native Americans they met)

US Thanksgiving Holiday resources
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~leslieob/RW5Thanksgiving.html
(From the University of Oregon website: "This is a self-paced Webquest activity. It is an example of how to use the Internet to support learning on a cultural topic, using a fun and interactive approach. Work by yourself or with a friend or classmate. Choose sites that interest you from Webquest Choices below, and do the tasks. Note that there are some additional Educator Resource ideas at the end.")

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_menu.htm
(From NYCTourist.com. Includes: What's new -- Parade map -- The Night Before -- Parade History -- Parade FAQs)
Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Photo Gallery
http://www.ny.com/holiday/thanksgiving/gallery.html

THANKSGIVING IN KANSAS

Kansas Governor's Proclamations of Thanksgiving
1861
1865
(Provided by the Library of Congress)

Thanksgiving in Kansas
http://www.kshs.org/portraits/thanksgiving.htm
(Information from the Kansas State Historical Society)

Kansas Memory website
http://www.kansasmemory.org/locate.php?query=thanksgiving
(A cornucopia of original resources relating to Thanksgiving in Kansas through the years)

Poetry of Kansas
Website search results for Thanksgiving
(Results of a search for pre-1923 poems at this website that mention Thanksgiving)

Check the weather reports!
http://kansasweathercenter.blogspot.com/
(It's always good to check the weather reports in Kansas before setting out over the river and through the woods.... or prairie. This is a new site still under construction but with lots of resources)

Thanksgiving Football Schedule
http://www.mahalo.com/thanksgiving-football-schedule
(A well known commercial website with information on games and Thanksgiving traditions)

COOKING TIPS, RECIPES AND ETIQUETTE

Turkey for the Holidays
http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/urban/turkey/techniques.html
(Information from the University of Illinois)

Thanksgiving Food Preparation Tips
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-turkey-tips.shtml
(From the University of Nebraska at Lincoln)

Enjoy Holiday Foods Without Adding Extra Pounds
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/news/story/holiday_foods111009.aspx
(Information from K-State Research and Extension)

Listen to Planning and Serving a Holiday Meal (audio)http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/news/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=72
(Information from K-State Research and Extension)

K-State's 'Mr. Manners' offers Thanksgiving etiquette tips
http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/nov09/manners110909.html
(Somewhat tongue-in-cheek but full of good practical ideas for large family gatherings)

Enjoy Holiday Foods Without Adding Extra Pounds
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/news/story/holiday_foods111009.aspx
(Information from K-State Research and Extension)

Planning and Serving a Holiday Meal (Online audio)
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/news/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=72
(Information from K-State Research and Extension)

Look over resources through our library catalog, ATLAS, on Thanksgiving
Article contact: Bill Sowers
(Check out recent additions to our collection here)

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers

The Kansas Center for the Book at the State Library of Kansas is once again proud to promote the importance of reading to Kansas preschoolers and other youth. Kansas Reads to Preschoolers week is November 15-21, 2009 and this year’s book, written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Scott Menchin, is Wiggle. Wiggle highlights this year's theme- fitness. On the Kansas Reads to Preschoolers website you can find out ways to encourage preschoolers to love literacy and to keep healthy and mobile.

2009 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers... About Fitness! homepage
http://www.kcfb.info/wiggle/index.html

Author Doreen Cronin's website:
http://www.doreencronin.com/doreen.html

Find out why early literacy is one of the Kansas Center for the Book's missions
http://www.kcfb.info/wiggle/literacy.html

Get the whole family involved in reading!
http://www.kcfb.info/wiggle/family.html

Learn more about how you as a parent or community member can get involved in early reading and early fitness!

Kansas Parent Information Resource Center
http://www.kpirc.org/

Kansas Reading Association
http://www.kansasread.org/parents.htm#Simple_Strategies_for_Creating_Strong_Readers

Kansas Association of Child Care Referral and Resource Agencies http://www.kaccrra.org/INVAdvocacy.shtml

Healthy Kids Challenge!
http://www.healthykidschallenge.com/

Kansas Pediatric Foundation- Turn a Page, Touch a Mind
http://www.kansaspediatricfoundation.org/

Kansas Department of Health and Environment
http://www.kdheks.gov/health/index.html