Library blog
Sherrilyn Polf Book Signing Local Tyrone, Oklahoma author, Sherrilyn Polf will be at the library for a Book Signing Event on Saturday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Her debut novel, A Matter of Trust has just been published. Join Sherrilyn for this special event.
Wii for Adults Don't let the teens have all the fun! Gaming for adults! Come and have a bowling good time on Tuesday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Library's Myspace blog
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In the Meeting Room
US Census When: Tue Feb 23, 2010 6pm to 7:30pm CST Event Status: confirmed Event Description: US Census will be testing at various times at the library
US Census When: Wed Feb 17, 2010 5pm to Wed Feb 17, 2010 6:30pm CST Event Status: confirmed
US Census When: Sat Feb 13, 2010 9am to 10:30am CST Event Status: confirmed Event Description: US Census will be testing at various times at the library
Kansas Government Info.
Eyes on the Road We all do our best to be good drivers, but the cell phone screams at us from the passenger seat and it is tempting to pick it up and respond. Be careful! Let it ring until you can pull over to pick it up; besides, the Kansas government may be giving you a new reason to ignore your phone. The Kansas House of Representatives is currently working Senate Bill 351 which would prohibit text messaging while driving a motor vehicle. Many other states have either introduced or passed bills on the same subject with intention of reducing the number of distracted-while-driving accidents.You can find the full text of SB 351 at http://www.kslegislature.org/Click on "full text of bills" from the menu along the top of the page, then type in 351.You can find a list of states that either ban or limit cell phone use or texting while driving at:List from the National Conference of State Legislatureshttp://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=17057List from the Governors Highway Safety Associationhttp://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.htmlU.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has banned texting while driving for school bus drivers and commercial truckers:http://www.distraction.gov/files/dot/MotorCarrierPressRelease.pdfSecretary LaHood has instituted a non-profit organization to raise awareness of the problems derived from distracted driving:http://www.distraction.gov/files/press-release/dot0410508forweb.pdfLearn more about the facts and figures regarding distracted driving:http://www.distraction.gov/stats-and-facts/A study at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute funded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration produced a report that has the most recent stats and figures:http://www.access.vtti.vt.edu/PDFs/100CarDriverInattention.pdfIf you text, you are 23.2 times higher a risk for a crash or near-crash than non-distracted driving. So do yourself a favor: put your phone in the glove box or your purse until you get to your destination!
Kansas Judges How Kansas selects, elects and/or retains judges has been a topic of much discussion of late. Below are links to some basic resources on judges and the courts within our state:Kansas Courts: General Informationhttp://www.kscourts.org/kansas-courts/general-information/(A short look at the different levels of courts in Kansas and what kinds of cases they handle. Provided at the Kansas Judicial Branch website)Kansas Court System Charthttp://www.kscourts.org/pdf/ctchart.pdf(A visual description of the levels of courts provided at the Kansas Judicial Branch website)Becoming a Judgehttp://www.kscourts.org/kansas-courts/general-information/you-and-the-courts/becoming-Judge.asp(A short explanation regarding selection, appointment and retention of judges in Kansas. Provided at the Kansas Judicial Branch website)Kansas Commission on Judicial Performancehttp://kansasjudicialperformance.org/ (The Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance was created in 2006 by the Kansas Legislature to improve the performance of individual judges and the judiciary as a whole. The Commission's evaluations of all of the state court trial and appellate judges are provided to the judges and justices for self-improvement. In addition, for judges and justices who are subject to retention elections, the Commission's evaluations are disseminated to the public to help voters make informed decisions about whether to continue those judges and justices in office)Other Helpful Sites at the Judicial Branch Website:--Annual Reports for the Courts of Kansas--Judicial Branch Open Records Requests--Judicial Complaint Procedure --Judicial Ethics Advisory Opinions --Rules Adopted by the Supreme Court --Supreme Court Nominating Commission Kansas State Constitution: Article 3The Judicial Branchhttp://kslib.info/constitution/art3.html (From the State Library of Kansas website)Judicial Selection and Retention FAQshttp://www.ncsconline.org/WC/CourTopics/FAQs.asp?topic=JudSel#FAQ623 (A comparative look at the selection/election of judges in U.S. states at the National Center for State Courts website)Resources Available via ATLAS, the Online Catalog of the State Library, Washburn Univeristy, Kansas Supreme Court and the Kansas State Historical Society:Courts -- KansasJudges -- KansasJudges -- Selection and appointment -- KansasJudicial districts -- KansasArticle contact: Bill Sowers (Check out recent additions to our collection here)