About Kan-safe

The South Central Kansas Library System (SCKLS) recognizes that Internet safety and filtering issues are of utmost importance to Kansas's librarians, educators and their service groups. The federal Children's Internet Protection Act, Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act, efforts by the Kansas Legislature for the passage of Substitute House Bill 2420 (Children's Internet Protection Act) as well as local demands for Internet safety and/or filtering makes education and training on these issues crucial. With the assistance of a 2004 Kan-ed Content Grant, 2004 Library Services and Technology Act Grant (LSTA) from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and funding from the SCKLS general budget, SCKLS will be able to facilitate the creation of Kan-safe, a web accessible Internet safety and filtering resource center.

Kan-safe, when complete, will encompass the following:

  • Ten working Internet Safety Policies from the constituent groups of libraries and schools
  • Continuing Education (CE) Activities and archived events

A key project component was SCKLS-hosted presenter Parry Aftab, Executive Director of Wired Safety. Aftab, an internationally known speaker and published author on Internet safety, cybercrime, cyberstalking, workplace risk management, child exploitation and child pornography presented several Internet safety and filtering sessions on October 4 & 5, 2004 at the Hyatt and the Hughes Metropolitan Complex in Wichita, Kansas. These sessions were also broadcast over Kan-ed Live! and have been archived and made available as a password accessible static resource.

In addition, on November 15, 2004, March 11, 2005 and Nov 3, 2005 we will host/present Internet safety workshops discussing the latest issues and laws regarding Internet safety/policy/filtering. These workshops will be presented and broadcast over Kan-ed Live!

  • Web links to state and federal laws regarding Internet safety
  • Web links to Internet curriculum related materials and [created inside/outside of Kan-safe]
  • Web links to overviews of commercial Internet filtering products
  • Web links to Kansas Senate and House contacts
  • Web link to KANGUARD, the Kansas State Library funded Internet filter
  • Web links to Kansas Law Enforcement Contacts
  • Internet Quick Fact Section
  • Web links to Internet safety sites external of Kan-safe

SCKLS's expected project outcome will be a highly customized web-based Internet safety resource. An external evaluator will monitor the project success by providing quantitative and qualitative project reviews. In addition, SCKLS staff will work with the Kansas State Library, regional library systems, school districts, educational cooperatives and listservs to effectively market this product to reach the target audience. Being web based, Kan-safe lends itself to a sense of currency and scalability not found in any print media that can be produced. Kan-safe addresses the purpose of providing dynamic and real-time access to Internet safety and filtering content that allows Kansas educators and librarians to make informed and educated decisions addressing Internet safety.