Friday, January 29, 2010

Type 1 Diabetes

Question: I am an Alaskan and I was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Could you send me a few online resources to familiarize me with the disease and the local resources available to me?

Answer: There are numerous resources to assist you in managing diabetes. Here are a few reliable starting points:

State of Alaska, Health and Social Services, Alaska Diabetes Resource Guide. http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Chronic/Documents/Diabetes/data/2009_AK_Diabetes_Resource_Guide.pdf
You will find an extensive list of health care organizations across the state that address various aspects of diabetes. In addition, the guide offers practical advice on nutrition, exercise and children with diabetes.

American Diabetes Association, Living with Diabetes.
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/
This is a great starting page for someone recently diagnosed as it covers what to do first, treatment options and the complications that may arise.

American Diabetes Association, Type 1, Basics. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-1/
The web page links you to information on medication, blood glucose control, family care and more.

MedlinePlus, Information and Guides.
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/
From this page you can learn the essentials of managing both Type1 and Type 2 Diabetes and where to find further information.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Alaska Corporate Formation Records

Question: I need a link to certificates of incorporation filed in Alaska.
Answer: It sounds like you are interested in finding the web page through which you can access information about certificates of incorporation or other formation documents filed for corporations or other business entities formed under the laws of the State of Alaska. You can begin your search by navigating to http://commerce.state.ak.us/dnn/cbpl/Corporations.aspx, which is a page on the Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing’s website. Then select “Search Corporations Database” under "Check Your Entity's Status". Your search results should include some details about matching entities, such as registered agents, dates of creation, and officers and directors. Once you retrieve the more detailed page for an entity, you can use the “Filed Documents” link to access some scanned images of the records the entity filed with the division, such as creation filings or Biennial Reports. Scanned images of these documents are not always available, particularly for earlier time periods.

To order copies of documents filed by an entity, go to http://commerce.state.ak.us/dnn/cbpl/Corporations/ObtainCopies.aspx. There you will also find contact information for the Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Elizabeth Peratrovich and Alaska's 1945 Anti-Discrimination Act

Question: I am researching Elizabeth Peratrovich and the battle for Civil Rights in Alaska. I am hoping to find information, including a transcript, about Mrs. Peratrovich’s testimony given to the Legislature during its consideration of this Act.

Answer: Transcripts of testimony before the Territorial Legislature generally do not exist. However, pages 536-541 of Haa Kusteeyi Our Culture: Tlingit Life Stories include a possible transcript of the Senate floor debate on what is often referred to as the 1945 Anti-Discrimination Act. The author states the transcript is from "the official Senate Record." We have been unable to verify the transcript text from other sources at the Alaska State Library, such as the Senate Journal, the House Journal and Records of the Alaskan Territorial Legislature (1913-1953). You will find a full description of this book in the WorldCat.org list mentioned below.

Other sources about Ms. Peratrovich and her work include:
  • Newspapers that reported on Elizabeth Peratrovich’s testimony - Alaska's Digital Archives includes an image of one such article published in the February 6, 1945, Daily Alaska Empire on page 8, just before the Territorial Legislature passed the Anti-Discrimination Act. You can view the image at http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/cdmg21&CISOPTR=2058&REC=10&DMSCALE=100&DMWIDTH=1440&DMHEIGHT=2000. You might also try browsing Alaska newspapers published in early February of 1945. If your local library does not have the Alaska newspapers you wish to review, it is welcome to submit an interlibrary loan request for the Alaska State Library's newspapers on microfilm; we loan up to four reels of film to any single library at a time. To identify the newspapers you wish to review, use the Chronologies of Alaska Newspapers by city/town at http://library.alaska.gov/hist/newspaper/chron.html. You might start with the Anchorage Daily Times, Anchorage Daily News, and Daily Alaska Empire (published in Juneau).
  • Books about Ms. Peratrovich – The Alaska State Library holds resources relating to Elizabeth Peratrovich. Some of these publications are included in our WorldCat.org list at http://www.worldcat.org/profiles/kfearer/lists/1262806. With the exception of the manuscript collections described in the list, these publications are available online or through interlibrary loan.
  • The Statewide Library Electronic Doorway (SLED) and the Alaska Periodicals Index - Try entering “Elizabeth Peratrovich” in the search box in the upper left hand corner of the SLED home page at http://www.sled.alaska.edu/.
  • The Alaska Periodicals Index - Search for “Elizabeth Peratrovich” as keywords in the Alaska Periodicals Index at http://library.uaf.edu/resources-appi. Contact your local library for assistance in obtaining articles you identify through this index.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Maps of Alaska State Courts

Question: Where can I find a map that shows all of the State courts in Alaska?

Answer: You can find a PDF version at http://courts.alaska.gov/rules/venuemapinfo.htm. It is a large PDF file and may take up to a minute to load. It has boundaries of Alaska's judicial districts and lists all State of Alaska trial venues.

You can order your own paper copy of this 34"x24" map for $25 by contacting one of the Alaska Court System's customer service centers:

Customer Service Division
825 W. 4th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
907-264-0514

Customer Service Division
101 Lacey St.
Fairbanks, AK 99701
907-452-9277