Colorado’s WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program helps moms, babies, and young children access healthy foods and helpful resources on nutrition, breastfeeding, and health. The program is open to income-eligible families which can include pregnant women and women with children under 5 years old. Members of the program receive a WIC card which can be […]
Author: Amy Zimmer
Colorado Day by Day
Looking for a “this-day-in-history” resource for Colorado? A new addition to our library collection is Colorado Day by Day, which provides a Colorado history anecdote for every day of the year. Written by Derek R. Everett and co-published by History Colorado and the University Press of Colorado, this fun book offers vignettes covering a variety […]
Work Zone Safety Awareness Week
The weather is warming up, and that means road construction season is underway. Road and highway construction can cause dangers for both workers and drivers, so the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has designated April 20-24 as Work Zone Safety Awareness week to bring attention to the need for slower speeds and increased caution when traveling […]
Time Machine Tuesday: 50th Anniversary of Earth Day
Tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. In the years following World War II, manufacture and use of automobiles boomed across the United States. New highways were built and Americans drove more miles than ever before. At the same time, industry was also expanding, new chemicals […]
Planning and Planting a Vegetable Garden
One of the things I look forward to every spring is planting my vegetable garden. It is so fun and rewarding to see your plants grow and to harvest and enjoy the results come late summer. And this year, garden centers are saying that there is a surge of interest in vegetable gardening resulting from […]
Time Machine Tuesday: The Colorado Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home
In 1889 the State of Colorado established a home for aging Civil War veterans and their wives at Monte Vista, Colorado. The home would care for “honorably discharged soldiers, sailors and marines who served in the Union Army between the twelfth day of April, 1861, and the ninth day of April, 1865, and those dependent […]
April is Stress Awareness Month
Perhaps appropriately, given the times we find ourselves in, the month of April is recognized as Stress Awareness Month. It’s actually not new — Stress Awareness Month has been commemorated each April since 1992. Work and school, finances, relationships, parenting, caregiving, concerns for safety, life changes, finding one’s purpose, and even the weather can be […]
New Resources on Federal and State Laws Pertaining to COVID-19
Several new memos and Issue Briefs have recently been released by Colorado Legislative Council Staff that provide some guidance on how Colorado and federal laws address some of the issues brought about by COVID-19. Colorado Criminal Justice System Response to COVID-19 discusses the operations of the courts and correctional institutions during the outbreak. Expansion of […]
How Did Colorado’s Counties Get Their Names?
Colorado has 64 counties. The 17 original counties were established in 1861, when Colorado was still a territory. The most recent county, Broomfield, was established in 2001. Most of the counties’ names can be grouped into a few categories: Presidents: Garfield, Jackson, Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington Governors: Adams, Elbert, Gilpin, Pitkin, Routt Explorers: Fremont, Gunnison, Kit […]
Time Machine Tuesday: Early Development of the Telephone in Colorado
Alexander Graham Bell first patented the telephone in 1876, the same year Colorado became a state. At first, people believed it to just be a passing fancy, and would have been astounded to see how much it has changed society and the world we know today. A few visionaries, however, saw the promise in this […]
Tips for Avoiding Scams Related to COVID-19
In these troubling times, most of us have come together to (at least virtually!) support each other and our communities. But unfortunately, wide-scale crises tend to bring out those who would try to exploit the situation for their own gain. Because of this, the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies and the Colorado Secretary of State’s […]
Time Machine Tuesday: Colorado School Buildings, 1910
A new addition to the State Publications Library’s digital collection is School Buildings, published by the Colorado Department of Public Instruction in 1910. This publication was issued by the state’s education department in order to provide superintendents and school districts with guidance on better planning and construction for school buildings. In an era when many […]
Fire and Flood Season is Coming – Is Your Library Ready?
Right now, as we focus on library closures and service reductions due to the global pandemic, it’s important to remember to prepare for other disasters, as fire and flood season will soon be upon us. Now is a great time to create a disaster plan for your library, or do a little spring cleaning and […]
Colorado Governors: Benjamin Eaton
Benjamin Harrison Eaton first came to Colorado in the 1859 Gold Rush. He had been born in Ohio in 1833, and during his early years had worked as a railroad surveyor, a farmer, and a teacher. When his wife, Delilah, died in childbirth in 1857, Eaton left Ohio and moved to Iowa, where he had […]
Face Masks and Virus Protection
Can a face mask protect you from coronavirus? Lately there have been many arguments over the efficacy of face masks – if you can find them, that is! Most public health officials are saying that a healthy person going about their day wearing a mask is unnecessary. Masks are most helpful for people who already […]
Understanding and Identifying Bird Nests
Springtime means new baby birds. But before their eggs can be laid and hatched, bird parents must find or build nests. Bird nests vary greatly from species to species, and watching and learning about them can be quite fascinating. Types of Nests Nests come in a variety of shapes, sizes, locations, and materials. They can […]
Creating Healthy Places
The places where we live, work and play can have a direct effect on our health. With that in mind, researchers from the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Architecture and Planning set out to study the ways that architects, city planners, community organizations, and health officials can work together to plan and design places […]
The Science and Grandeur of Glaciers
When you picture a glacier, you probably imagine the Arctic. In fact, about 10% of the world’s total land area contains glaciers, and we have glaciers right here in Colorado. These awe-inspiring masses of snow and ice are constantly moving and changing due to fluctuations in climate and temperature, and they can yield important data […]
Time Machine Tuesday: Building the State Capitol
Today, the Capitol Building with its famous gold dome is one of the most recognized symbols of our state. But the road to building a capitol was a long and winding one, fraught with complications that included lawsuits, the firing of the architect, and even uncertainty over whether Denver would remain the state capital. The […]
At the Legislature: Family and Medical Leave for Employees
Among the issues at the Capitol receiving a significant amount of attention this year is a proposed state-run family and medical leave program. The program would grant paid leave to most Colorado employees for purposes of childbirth/adoption, major illness, or caring for a sick loved one. Federal law currently provides benefits under the Family and […]