Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As we start a new academic semester, I send my best wishes for wellness and success!

University Libraries kicked off the year by hosting nearly 1,500 students for our 15^th annual Late Night at the Library celebration. Students enjoyed music, dancing, pizza (over 150 large ones), Handel’s ice cream, eSports gaming, button-making and an array of other games. We want to thank our many university partners who help us make this event a success: Kent State eSports, Information Technology and Center for Student Involvement. Also, additional thanks to University Facilities Management and housekeeping for helping behind the scenes.

I want to share some thoughts on voting and Kent State’s values, as we head into an election season. I would like to remind everyone to engage as citizens and vote for the candidates they support.

I also encourage you (and you can encourage your students, as well) to reflect on and practice Kent State’s core values of respect, kindness and purpose in all we do. We support free speech, but this also means that we respect the views of others and tolerate ideas that differ from those we hold. These values are at the heart of what it means to be a Kent State Golden Flash and indeed, what it means to participate in our great society. As staff and faculty, we are the instructors and role models for our students.

To vote, you must be registered. University Libraries is proud to partner with Kent State Votes, a university-wide nonpartisan coalition with the goal of encouraging Kent State students to become more involved and informed when it comes to voting in local, statewide and federal elections. Check their website for deadlines (October 5 to register), information about voter registration and lots of other helpful information about voting.

We continue to be grateful to all of you, our partners, patrons and collaborators. When we work together, anything is possible! Thank you for your support and I hope to see you, in-person or online, in our libraries soon.

The Kent State University Libraries’ family is comprised of eight members that together value history, while embracing innovation, with a commitment to sharing new knowledge:

1. University Library 
2. Architecture Library
3. Fashion Library
4. Map Library
5. Performing Arts Library
6. LaunchNET Kent State
7. May 4 Visitors Center
8. Kent State University Press

Our Libraries, a proud member of the Association of Research Libraries, provide a wide range of spaces, digital and print collections, resources and services. Through our Subject Librarian program each student and area of study has a librarian assigned to them to support their unique needs. Our Student Multimedia Studio supports students in working with a variety of media formats, including audio and video, through access to cutting edge software and emerging technology. Our Statistical Consulting Services supports students and faculty in qualitative and quantitative data analyses. Our Copyright Services helps students and faculty understand and navigate copyright law and licensing agreements. They also manage Open Access Kent State (OAKS) our institutional repository that showcases the scholarly work of students and faculty. Our Special Collections and Archives acquires, preserves, and provides access to primary sources and rare materials that support the teaching and research programs of Kent State University. Included among their unique collections are the May 4 Collection and the Borowitz True Crime Collection. We also are fortunate to be a founding member and leading supporter of OhioLINK, our statewide academic library consortium that allows us to share resources across 88 institutions in Ohio.  In addition we offer a range of engaging events, like Late Night at the Library and Stress Free Zones during finals to help students relax and learn about our support services in fun and welcoming settings. 

I invite you to learn more about your Libraries through our web sites,  social media sites or in person. Feel free to library [at] kent.edu (subject: Message%20for%20the%20Dean) (reach out to me personally) with your questions or concerns.  We look forward to getting to know you and helping you succeed.  Go Flashes!

Ken Burhanna
Dean, University Libraries