by Katie Springer and Jesse Lewis
Last year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report to the Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. House of Representatives: “Poverty in America: Economic Research Shows Adverse Impacts on Health Status and Other Social Conditions as well as the Economic Growth Rate”. This study was performed to better understand recent data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau: 37 million people, or 13 percent of the total U.S. population, lived below the poverty line in 2005. Page 17 of the report reads: “Regardless of whether poverty is a cause or an effect, the conditions associated with poverty limit the ability of low-income individuals to develop the skills, abilities, knowledge, and habits necessary to fully participate in the labor force, in turn, leads to lower incomes. According to 2000 Census data, people aged 20-64 with income above the poverty line in 1999 were almost twice as likely to be employed as compared to those with incomes below it. Some of the reasons for these outcomes include educational attainment and health status.”
The winter can be especially challenging for America’s low-income population. Many state and federal agencies provide programs and other assistance for low-income citizens. The Family and Social Services Administration oversees several assistance programs, including health insurance programs for children and adults and food assistance. Other state programs that provide assistance to low-income Hoosiers include the Housing & Community Development Authority’s Weatherization and Energy Assistance programs for those who may need help heating their homes this winter, and the Indiana Pro Bono Commission which provides free legal services.
Poverty in America: Economic Research Shows Adverse Impacts on Health Status and Other Social Conditions as well as the Economic Growth Rate: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07344.pdf
Poverty in America: Consequences for Individuals and the Economy: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07343t.pdf
Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Family Resources (TANF, food stamps): http://www.in.gov/fssa/dfr/index.htm
Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Medicaid Policy & Planning (HIP, CHIP, Hoosier Healthwise): http://www.in.gov/fssa/ompp/index.htm
Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Weatherization and Energy Assistance Programs: http://ihcda.in.gov/nonprofits_programs.aspx
Indiana> Pro Bono Commission: http://www.in.gov/judiciary/probono/attorneys/provider/
STAYING SAFE ON INDIANA ROADS
This week, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) released the Five-Percent Report for 2007, a list of Indiana intersections and sections of roadway that account for five percent of all fatal or serious traffic accidents in Indiana. This report guides INDOT’s efforts to improve safety on Indiana’s roadways by identifying areas in need of greater funding and higher levels of inspection. The report includes a map of these locations and more information about methods for determining which traffic locations are Indiana’s most dangerous.
Indiana Department of Transportation, Five Percent Report: http://www.in.gov/indot/3024.htm
LAST MINUTE GIFTS
Exchanging gifts during the winter holidays is a tradition in many cultures, and online gift-buying grows in popularity every season. Consider these sources for last minute purchasing ideas for your patrons or your library. In most cases, online browsing and ordering is available 24/7 for your convenience. Some local gift shops are open for shoppers during the day. The following list is provided for your convenience. It contains collection development and display suggestions for affordable books, historical posters, prints of famous photographs and other artwork, maps, and other Indiana and U.S. memorabilia. For all online purchases, remember to use a Secure WWW Server (with https:// at the beginning of the web address). Please follow your library’s policy on acceptable Computer and Internet use for staff and patrons.
Indiana Historical Bureau gift shop: http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/ihb/shop/index.html
Open weekdays, 8:00am to 4:30pm
Jonathan Jennings: Indiana’s First Governor, by Randy Keith Mills, $19.95
Democratic Opposition to the Lincoln Administration in Indiana, by G. R. Tredway, $10.25
Indiana State Museum gift shop: http://www.in.gov/ism/VisitorInfo/MuseumGiftShop/index.aspx
Trees of Indiana Field Guide, by Stan Tekiela, $13.95
Indiana Historical Society, Basile History Market: http://shop.indianahistory.org/
Frontier Indiana (VHS, CD-Rom, Teacher’s Guide, and Poster), $10.00.
Indiana War Memorial gift shop: http://www.in.gov/iwm/2345.htm. Please call for hours: (317) 232-7615
USS Indianapolis Memorial Dedication Book, $10.00.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Publications sales: http://www.in.gov/dnr/publications/mapsandmore.html
Indiana Wildlife Viewing Guide, $5.95.
Library of Congress online shop: http://www.loc.gov/shop/index.php?action=cMain.showHome
Edward Curtis 2008 Wall Calendar, $13.99.
U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) bookstore: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/collections/holiday-gifts.jsp
Civics Flash Card, to help immigrants prepare for the naturalization exam, $8.50.
U.S. Mint store: http://www.usmint.gov/index.cfm?flash=yes
2007 Presidential $1 Coin Uncirculated Set, $8.95.
America’s National Parks official online store: http://www.eparks.com/store/
Oh, Ranger! – True Stories from our National Parks, Edited by Mark Saferstein, $14.95.
Shop online at other U.S. National Park not-for-profit Cooperating Associations bookstores at http://home.nps.gov/applications/hafe/hfc/coop-assn.cfm, like the Yellowstone Park Store (http://www.yellowstoneassociation.org/store/).
The National Weather Service broadcasts official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR): http://www.weather.gov/nwr/. Residential or Industrial/commercial grade receivers are available via many local and online retail outlets. For a list, please see: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrrcvr.htm.