Architecture Library Resources (Architecture, Interior Design, & Urban Design): Introduction & Finding Books

Designers have complex information needs that encompass program, history, site conditions, construction methods, materiality, standards, and other topics. In addition to technical or factual resources, designers also seek information to spark their creativity or expand their perceptions of the built environment. 

The Joseph F Morbito Architectural Library contains resources to support both research and inspiration seeking. This guide provides a general resources related to architecture, interior design, and urban design including books, journals, databases, websites, and streaming media. Other specialized topics are available through additional library guides. 

Watch this virtual tour to learn more about the Joseph F Morbito Architectural Library collection and spaces.

Library Catalogs

The Kentlink catalog searches descriptions of books, ebooks, films, music, and other items owned by Kent State University. The Ohiolink catalog searches college and university libraries across Ohio as well as the OhioLINK Electronic Book Center. Individual journal articles generally cannot be found using these catalogs (See the Database page or Discovery @ Kent State for more on finding journal articles).

Discovery@Kent State

Discovery@Kent State simultaneously searches KentLINK, OhioLINK, and several databases for books, ebook, journal articles, and other items.  Discovery may uncover cross-disciplinary research due to its broad data set. However, sometimes utilizing more narrowly focused tools, such as the catalogs and individual databases, is more effective and efficient in locating relevant results.

HathiTrust Digital Library

HathiTrust contains millions of digitized books with full text search capabilities. Public domain titles can be downloaded in their entirety.  Log in with your Flashline credentials to gain the full benefits of HathiTrust. 

Recent Additions

Need Help?

Consult your subject librarian for additional search suggestions or view these library tutorials. 

Open Access & Additional eBook Sources.

High-quality ebooks can be found in various repositories across the internet.  Some ebooks and articles are published under Open Access or Creative Commons licenses that permit free distribution. When encountering an online ebook or publication, it is essential to evaluate the source, authority, and content before incorporating it into a project. Check other pages for Open Access journals and publication databases. Some sources for online ebooks include:

Public Domain eBooks

Copyright eventually expires and works enter the public domain where they can be freely used and distributed.  Copyright is complicated.  If the work was published prior to 1926, it may be in the public domain and may have been digitized.  Additional information on copyright is available through this guide.  In addition to HathiTrust mentioned above, some tools for locating public domain materials include: