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 Current logo (2022) | |
| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1855 |
| Preceding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | State of Kansas |
| Headquarters | 300 SW 10th Avenue Topeka, Kansas 39°02′53″N95°40′41″W / 39.04806°N 95.67806°W |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | State Library of Kansas Website |
The State Library of Kansas is a department within the state government of Kansas, with locations in Topeka and Emporia. Ray Walling was appointed acting State Librarian in June of 2022. [2]
The research collections and most of the staff of the State Library of Kansas have been located on the third floor of the Kansas State Capitol at 10th and Jackson Streets in downtown Topeka, Kansas, since 1900. In December, 2009, the staff was moved out of its third floor location in the State Capitol and into mobile units on the Capitol grounds during renovation of the north wing of the Capitol. The Library's collections were moved to an Annex in Topeka in April, 2010. Library staff and collections were returned to the third floor of the Capitol in December, 2012. The Library's Talking Books Library is located in the lower level of the Student Union, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas.
The Kansas Center for the Book is a state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The Kansas Center for the Book affiliated with the national Center for the Book in 1987, and was hosted and headquartered at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library from then until 2005, when it moved to the State Library of Kansas. Programs at the Kansas Center for the Book are: the Kansas Notable Book Awards, Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, and the Parade of States at the National Book Festival.
The Kansas Talking Book Service, headquartered in Emporia, Kansas, provides books, newspapers and magazines in braille and recorded format with playback equipment to any Kansas citizen unable to use standard print because of visual or physical impairment. The program is coordinated through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress. The Talking Books service also hosts a book club and publishes a regular blog discussing what books are available or popular with the service. In 2022, the program partnered with the Ohio Library for the Blind to expand its collections through the use of the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service and mobile app.
The Service heads a network of Kansas Talking Book subregional libraries located in Great Bend, Manhattan, Norton, Wichita and Topeka, Kansas.
The Library's online services are available to Kansas residents. Downloadable audio and e-books are available online through a browser or various apps. The Library provides a Kansas Library eCard, which allows access to these databases:
The Research and Information Division serves the research and reference needs of state government and the general public. The division, located in Topeka, has a collection of over 250,000 titles including books, magazines, current newspapers, U.S. federal documents, Kansas government documents, Kansas legislative material and a newspaper clippings file dating back to the 1920s. Research assistance is provided for walk-in, telephone, instant message and email questions. Interlibrary loan service is also available, providing material within the library's collection to people around the world.
The Reference division also offers a Legislative hotline, [3] which has been in operation since 1975. Librarians with the reference division assist Kansans with basic questions about the legislature, including providing bill numbers, status, dates and calendar information. Constituents may also obtain contact information and leave messages for their representatives via this service. Hotline staff are unable to transfer calls to office staff or other numbers. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-432-3924.
The California State Library is the state library of the State of California, founded in 1850 by the California State Legislature. The Library collects, preserves, generates and disseminates a wide array of information. Today, it is the central reference and research library for state government and the Legislature. The California State Library advises, consults with and provides technical assistance to California's public libraries. It directs state and federal funds to support local public libraries and statewide library programs, including Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grants. The California State Library's mission is to serve as "...the state’s information hub, preserving California’s cultural heritage and connecting people, libraries and government to the resources and tools they need to succeed and to build a strong California." With the exception of the Sutro Library in the J. Paul Leonard Library at San Francisco State University, the other three branches are located in Sacramento, California, at 914 Capitol Mall, 900 N Street and at the State Capitol.
The Kansas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a bicameral assembly, composed of the lower Kansas House of Representatives, with 125 state representatives, and the upper Kansas Senate, with 40 state senators. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, senators for four-year terms.
The Law Library of Congress is the law library of the United States Congress. The Law Library of Congress holds the single most comprehensive and authoritative collection of domestic, foreign, and international legal materials in the world. Established in 1832, its collections are currently housed in the James Madison Memorial Building of the Library of Congress. Law staff rely on and utilize 2.9 million volumes of primary legal sources, 102.18 million microforms, 99,000 reels of microfilm, 3.18 million pieces of microfiche, and 15,600 tangible electronic resources, making it is the largest law library in the world.
The Alaska State Library and Historical Collections and Talking Book Center are located on the second floor of the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building in Juneau, Alaska.
The State Library of Oregon in Salem, is the library for the U.S. state of Oregon. The mission of the State Library of Oregon is to provide leadership and resources to continue growing vibrant library services for Oregonians with print disabilities, the Legislature and state government, and all Oregonians through local libraries.
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives is a collection of library and information resources. KDLA's mission is to serve "Kentucky's need to know" through its services "assuring equitable access" to information and services. Many of the materials available from KDLA are public domain.
The Library of Michigan is a state-run library and historical center located in Lansing, Michigan that was created to provide one perpetual state institution to collect and preserve Michigan publications, conduct reference and research, and support libraries statewide. Previously under the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries state agency and, as of 2009, under the Michigan Department of Education, the library is Michigan's official state library agency. A notable side-project of the Library of Michigan is the Michigan eLibrary (MeL), one of the first online libraries on the Internet. MeL provides full-text articles, books, Michigan history materials, and evaluated web sites to residents of the state of Michigan. In 2003, the Library of Michigan Board of Trustees elected as chair Elaine Didier, dean of Oakland University's Kresge Library and professor at Oakland University.
The New York State Library is a research library in Albany, New York, United States. It was established in 1818 to serve the state government of New York and is part of the New York State Education Department. The library is one of the largest in the world by number of items held, with over 20 million cataloged items in 2011.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) refers to the state government agency in the state of Texas that supports the reading, learning, and historical preservation needs of Texas and its people. The agency is charged with preserving the archival record of Texas, supporting research, and making primary resources available to the public; assisting public, academic, and school libraries across the state in meeting the needs of their communities and students; helping public agencies maintain their public records; and supporting the reading needs of thousands of Texans with disabilities preventing them from reading a standard book.
The State Library of North Carolina is an institution which serves North Carolina libraries, state government employees, genealogists, and the citizens of North Carolina. The library is the main depository for North Carolina state publications and serves the needs of North Carolina government agencies and state government employees by providing access to information resources that are vital to public decision-making and economic development.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) is a free library program of braille and audio materials such as books and magazines circulated to eligible borrowers in the United States and American citizens living abroad by postage-free mail and online download. The program is sponsored by the Library of Congress. People may be eligible if they are blind, have a visual disability that prevents them from reading normal print, or a physical disability that keeps them from holding a book. Library materials are distributed to regional and subregional libraries and then circulated to eligible patrons. In total there are 55 regional libraries, 32 subregional libraries, and 14 advisory and outreach centers serving the United States and its territories: the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.
The Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA), established in 1854, currently operates as a unit of the Tennessee Department of State. According to the Tennessee Blue Book, the Library and Archives "collects and preserves books and records of historical, documentary and reference value, and encourages and promotes library development throughout the state." This mandate can be found in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 10, Chapters 1-8.
The Nebraska Library Commission is a Nebraska state government agency. Located in Lincoln, the Library Commission provides reference, resources, training, and consulting for all types of library in the state. The various collections housed at the Library Commission are used to serve librarians, state employees, seekers of government information, and visually handicapped Nebraskans. The Library Commission is a clearinghouse for state government publications and makes many documents accessible online.
The New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and Judiciary. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and information services to all New Jersey residents. The State Library is an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University and is located in the Capitol Complex in Trenton.
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., that serves as the library and research service of the U.S. Congress and the de facto national library of the United States. Founded in 1800, the library is the United States's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library is housed in three elaborate buildings on Capitol Hill. It also maintains a conservation center in Culpeper, Virginia. The library's functions are overseen by the Librarian of Congress, and its buildings are maintained by the Architect of the Capitol. The Library of Congress is one of the largest libraries in the world. Its collections contain approximately 173 million items, and it has more than 3,000 employees. Its "collections are universal, not limited by subject, format, or national boundary, and include research materials from all parts of the world and in more than 470 languages."
The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) is a specialized public library in Seattle, Washington, US, serving individuals in the State of Washington who are unable to read standard print material. It is administered by the Washington State Library. The library's collection includes large print books, Braille books, audio cassette books, and digital cartridge books. It also provides a recording service for audiobooks, a Braille service, disability-focused reference service, and a variety of youth services.
The Kansas Historical Society is the official state historical society of Kansas.
The State Library of Iowa is a library service in the U.S. state of Iowa. Founded in around 1840, it is based in Des Moines and is run by the Iowa Department of Education. The State Library supports local libraries in the state and it itself acts as a resource for the state government and its citizens. It is funded from local taxation.
Arkansas State Library is a special library which operates as a state agency under the Arkansas Department of Education, within Arkansas state government. It provides information resources for state agencies, legislators and legislative staffs. It also provides guidance and support for the development of local public libraries, and library services. Finally, the ASL provides resources, services, and leadership for the educational, informational and cultural needs of Arkansas citizens.
Ruth Garver Gagliardo was an American educator known for her work in developing library services for children. Gagliardo was referred to as the "Kansas Book Lady" for her efforts in promoting books and advocating for resources for teachers and parents. She held several prominent leadership roles in national organizations, including serving as the vice president of the National Parent Teacher Association and as president of the Association for Library Service to Children. Gagliardo's creation of a traveling book exhibit is credited with the start of book fairs in the United States.
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