Overview

Use the links to navigate to helpful services and information for librarians. Each page offers links to useful resources within the State Library, the Kansas library community and beyond.

Continuing Education

The State Library of Kansas provides continuing education options suited to individual professional development and general library staff training. This page contains links to WebJunction, Niche Academy, Homeless Library Institute and the People Connect Institute. There is information related to grants and scholarships, professional organizations and email lists for librarians. Most importantly, the page includes the calendar to upcoming webinars and training sessions organized by the statewide services division, as well as access to the archives.

Grants & Discounts

The starting point to understand State Aid and E-Rate with useful links, as well as information on the discount access to Lyrasis products and services.

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is the practice of sharing materials between libraries. This page gives an overview of how ILL works in Kansas with best practices, explanation of the courier service and material replacement fund. It includes details on how to create a preferred lender list, how to capture and report ILL statistics and a link to ILL stats from previous years.  

Policy Resources

Access statutes and regulations, and Kansas attorney general opinions, related to libraries, such as funding, budgets, board composition. The page includes information on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, the federal and state Child Internet Protection Acts (CIPA) and information on records retention. Useful resources accompany each section.

Programs

Kansas Notable Books is a well-known State Library program. Learn more about the Kansas Center for the Book which organizes Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, Great Reads from Great Places and the Notable Books programs. The annual summer reading program access to Kansas libraries and the Talking Books summer programs is funded by the State Library. There are useful resources for all of the programs.

Public Library Statistics

A vital, annual requirement for all Kansas libraries, to ensure continued eligibility for state aid and other grants each Kansas public library completes the Public Library Survey and State Report. The survey includes questions about library visits, circulation, size of collections, public service hours, staffing, electronic resources, operating revenues and expenditures, and number of service outlets. The survey and report must be completed, annually, between January 1 and February 5.  There are useful resources, like a return on investment calculator, and access to data from previous years.

Services for Librarians

An overview of the regional systems of cooperating libraries with links to statistics and publications they manage, like the Kansas Public Library handbook. The page has a link to a public library directory and government information, including how to contact State Library reference librarians via phone, email and chat and a link to Kansas Government Information Online Library (KGI). Talking Books is a service of the State Library, providing access to reading materials for users that have a reading disability, vision impairment or physical challenge, that creates a barrier to using traditional print materials. The page includes a link to the Talking Books application and more details on that free service.

Statewide Resources

The State Library of Kansas provides an array of databases, digital book services and learning platforms. This page contains information for librarians by vendor or specific service the State Library funds with information on how to access, links to webinars and promotional material. Visit the Databases and Digital Books pages to view information organized for patrons.