This spring marks The
Kansas Government Information (KGI) Online Library's second "birthday." Two years ago State Librarian, Jo Budler and SLK Director of Reference, Cindy Roupe approached SLK Technical Services staff with the opportunity of establishing a digital Kansas state government publications library using OCLC's CONTENTdm digital media management software. The online library would continue the work begun by the Kansas Historical Society's and State Library of Kansas' "KSPACe" Digital Library. State Library Technical Services staff leaped into this project working to provide an online library of Kansas government information to the public.
During the past two years KGI has grown into a collection of over 10,000 titles/collections. Within some of the collections are hundreds of individual titles bringing up the total count in KGI to somewhere between 40 and 50 thousand. Titles and collections are cataloged with metadata allowing access via OCLC's WorldCat, the Kansas Library Catalog, the State Library of Kansas' Online Catalog, the Topeka Libraries' ATLAS Catalog and the KGI website.
Over 180 Kansas state agencies' publications can now be found in in the KGI Library. This number includes publications by both current and past state departments, boards, commissions, offices and institutions stretching back to 1861. The former KSPACe collections, archived by the Kansas Historical Society and provided to the State Library, have been incorporated into KGI. Born digital documents have been harvested from the Internet. Paper documents from both the State Library and the Kansas Historical Society have been scanned and added to KGI as well.
Among the staff involved with the development of the KGI Online Library is Jason Ackermann. We have all been blessed to have Jason here at the State Library. He first showed up as a volunteer about two years ago. He took on the difficult task of setting up a clearer, easier to use presentation of KGI within CONTENTdm. Eventually he was added on as full time staff at the library giving him more time to work on better ways to build, display and access our collections. He is leaving Kansas with his wife, Dezeree, this month and we will miss him, but wish both Dez and him all the best.
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FEATURED AGENCY COLLECTION
Starting with this issue of the KGI Blog we will be featuring a different agency or division of a large agency and its publications within the Kansas Government Information (KGI) Online Library:
The Kansas Abstractors' Board of Examiners is a three-member board appointed by the Governor to license all individuals or firms selling abstracts of title to Kansas real estate. In order to obtain a license a person, firm, or corporation must pass an examination conducted by the Board and file a bond and a policy of insurance with the Board. In the case of a firm or corporation, the examination needs to be taken by an active manager of the firm. The Abstractors' Board of Examiners also regulates the individuals and firms that compile and sell abstracts of Kansas real estate in a fair and equitable manner. In addition, the Board strives to protect the citizens of the State of Kansas against fraudulent and improper land title transfers. Operations.