The Wednesday Word: News from the Indiana State Library
UNCLE SAM’S SITES FOR KIDS
By Shannon Bloomquist (sbloomquist@statelib.lib.in.us)
According to American poet Bryan H. McGill, “Curiosity is one of the great secrets of happiness.” Children are innately curious, but it can be difficult for adults to locate well-organized and kid-friendly Web sites containing the sort of general information that young inquiring minds want to know. Thankfully, the Federal Citizen Information Center has created a child-centered Web site that provides answers to the most curious of questions! Kids.gov debuted in September 2006 and acts as a gateway to kid-safe information. Located at www.kids.gov, the site displays subject headings with icons that relate to the arts, careers, computers, fighting crime, geography, the global village, the environment, health, history, money, music, plants, animals, recreation, safety, space, transportation, and more! When users click on a subject area, a list of useful links to other Web sites and information about the content of the sites appears. The sites are broken up into government sites, organization sites, education sites, and commercial sites so users understand the source of the information available to them. There is also a section on “State Websites” where children can find information on each of the 50 states! Young Hoosiers and their teachers might enjoy the two Indiana listings: the “Little Hoosiers Kids Page” takes you to the “Students Page” at http://www.in.gov/sic/kids/, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s “Use Your Brain” page at http://www.in.gov/idem/who/kids/. The “Web Treasure Hunt” at http://www.kids.gov/activity.htm provides some fun information-hunting activities for kids, too!
TOPICS THAT ENTICE AND ENTERTAIN @ YOUR LIBRARY
By Shannon Bloomquist (sbloomquist@statelib.lib.in.us)
Established in 1825, the Indiana State Library was one of the first state agencies. The Library collects and provides access to Indiana’s cultural heritage. One can imagine how rich and varied a collection that has existed for over 175 years must be! Materials that cover all eras of Indiana history and any subject area one can fathom are housed at the Library. Have you ever wondered how many women have served in the Indiana general assembly? Does your child have to do a report on a famous Hoosier? Would you like to find out the volume of corn produced in Indiana last year for a report? Are you curious about the history of eugenics in Indiana? Do you need to do some research on Indiana’s role in the Underground Railroad for work? Are you hoping to trace the roots of your family tree across state lines? The Library can help!
For a small sampling of the kind of historical information the Library provides, check out the subject guides, bibliographies, and online exhibits available at http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/whoweare/indiana.html. An introduction to our extensive government documents collection is found at http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/whoweare/ref.html. Obtain census and federal statistics from the State Data Center at http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/whoweare/datacenter.html. Visit the Genealogy Division homepage at http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/whoweare/genealogy.html for an overview of the Library’s family history resources. Those with vision impairments will find the Talking Book and Braille Library’s services quite useful—visit http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/lbph/lbphmenu.html for details. There is more than corn in Indiana, and the Library’s collections prove it. Explore your Indiana State Library today—online, in person, or by using our Ask a Librarian e-reference service at http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/ask/ask_a_librarian.html!
For more information about the Library, please visit us in downtown Indianapolis or online at www.statelib.lib.in.us.