KentLINK is the online library catalog of materials held by Kent State University libraries on the Kent and regional campuses. It is used to find bibliographic, location, call number and availability information for books, journals, reference materials, and documents. Basic keyword, author, title, and subject searches can be done from the library homepage. For more advanced searches, use the advanced search option on the main KentLINK page.
KentLINK offers the ability to search using Medical subject headings (MeSH), numbers (call numbers, ISBN/ISSNs, etc.), and reserve information (professor's name or course number). Search results can be narrowed down by relevance, date, title, language, material type, availability and location. You can set these limits from the Advanced Search page or afterwards at the top of the results page (although not all limits are available). KentLINK also offers you the ability to go back to previous searches and to store material records in files for later use. From the folder, you can export your list of items (as a downloadable file or sent to your email) and request multiple books at one time.
You can log into your KentLINK account ( "My Library Account") through the main library webpage or through the KentLINK catalog pages. Through your KentLINK account you can check on the status of materials you currently have checked out or requested, renew items or cancel requests, and save and check your preferred searches. KentLINK also offers you the ability to go back to previous searches and to store material records in files for later use.
The Ohio Library and Information Network, OhioLINK, is a consortium of 88 Ohio college and university libraries, plus the State Library of Ohio, that work together to provide Ohio students, faculty and researchers with the information they need for teaching and research. If the materials you need cannot be found in KentLINK, click the OhioLINK button to continue your search in OhioLINK. To request materials, select your institution and then submit the request with your FlashLine username and password.
How to access OhioLINK if your item is currently unavailable through KentLINK:
How to access OhioLINK if your item is not available through KentLINK.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a way for individuals to get a copy of an item that is not available through KentLINK or OhioLINK. Libraries all over the world participate in Interlibrary Loan in a cooperative effort to provide articles, books, and other materials to researchers, students, and others. Free-of-charge Interlibrary Loan and electronic article delivery are offered to all current Kent State faculty, staff, and students. Community Borrowers and Alumni will incur charges. Request an item through ILL here.
The OhioLINK Depository System is an external collection of print resources, compiled from institutions throughout Ohio. The OHDEP catalog can be searched and items requested through the OhioLINK button on the record.
Keyword searches will look for a term almost anywhere in a record. Use any terms that you feel are specifically relevant to the information you’re hoping to find. Terms that are too broad or general may give you more results than is realistic to look through and may bring back a number of results that are only very remotely related to your topic. Creating a string of keywords is also a good way of narrowing down your search results right from the beginning. Using quotation marks will search multiple words as a phrase while, without quotation marks, it will function like an AND Boolean search. For more information on constructing complex keyword searches, check the information on Boolean logic on this page.
Examples of keyword searches:
Title searches work for both the title of an entire material and also for the title of a segment of a material - like a chapter in a book. For long titles, you can use only the first few words if they're unique enough to find your material, for example, The mind and art of Abraham Lincoln, philosopher statesman : texts and interpretations of twenty great speeches could be shorted to The mind and art of Abraham Lincoln. If your title is relatively common but you know the author's name, try using an advanced search with both pieces of information.
Examples of title searches:
Author/Creator searches work for individuals, organizations, editors, composers, illustrators—anyone who might be identified as being part of creating an item in our collections. When searching for an individual you can use all or part of the author or artist’s name in Last Name, First Name format. When searching for other entities associated with an item, you can use the entities’ name as usual. Searching by name is easier when the individual has a more unique name - for very common names, try searching in conjunction with a title or subject as an advanced keyword search instead. For more information on keyword searches, see above.
Examples of Author/Creator searches:
Subject searches are based on the Library of Congress' Subject Headings (LCSH) list. These terms are specifically chosen for materials for organizational and retrieval purposes. They are not as intuitive to use as keyword searches, especially with more complex topics, but they are much more specific and comprehensive. If you're having difficulty starting out with a subject search, try a keyword search instead. If you find one really good resource in the search results, check the subject headings on its record page to find more materials like it.
Examples of subject searches:
Boolean logic is the term used to describe certain logical operations that are used to combine search terms in many databases. The basic Boolean operators are represented by the words AND, OR and NOT (sometimes AND NOT). For more complex searches, or searches that return an unmanageable number of matches, you can combine these operators. Additionally, you can use parenthesis (to keep related terms together) and quotation marks (around multiple words to tell the search engine to look for the exact phrase).
Examples of a Boolean searches:
In general, KentLINK does not contain articles from scholarly journals. To find articles or journals:
Off-campus access (or "remote access") to University Libraries’ electronic resources is now provided through a new service known as KSU Proxy. KSU Proxy allows Library users to securely connect to databases, electronic journals, ebooks and streaming media services without installing complicated third-party software. When you attempt to access library content from off campus, you’ll simply be prompted to login with your FlashLine username and password. It’s that easy. More information can be found on the Connect from Off-Campus page.
The Map Library is the University's chief cartographic and geospatial resource center for maps, atlases, GIS data, place name literature and cartographic reference materials in paper and electronic formats. The Map Library is located in McGilvrey Hall and keeps special hours, which can be found on their webpage.
Some materials for architectural studies are located in the Main Library but there are additional materials are also available at the Joseph F. Morbito Architecture Library. The library contains approximately 16,000 books, as well as current print and online periodicals, a selection of maps and architectural drawings. The Architecture Library is located in the Center for Architecture and Environmental Design and keeps special hours, which can be found on their webpage.
Some materials for fashion studies are located in the Main Library, including some periodicals and magazines, but most materials are available at the June F. Mohler Fashion Library. The library provides specialized resources and services to support the students and faculty of the Fashion School, the University, and the larger Community. The Fashion Library is located in Rockwell Hall and keeps special hours, which can be found on their webpage.
A small collection of resources for performing arts are housed in the Main Library but the majority of materials are available at the Performing Arts Library. The library provides services and access to collections in various formats to the School of Music and School of Theatre and Dance, as well as Kent/Blossom Music and the community. The Performing Arts Library is located in Music and Speech Center and keeps special hours, which can be found on their webpage.
The non-circulating collections of the Special Collections and Archives cover a broad spectrum of topics in a variety of formats including books, manuscripts, and archival materials. Strengths are 19th- and 20th-century British and American literature and poetry; true crime literature; theater and the performing arts; and children's literature. Archival holdings include the historical records of Kent State University; a large collection documenting the May 4, 1970 Kent State shootings; and regional history materials. Special Collections and Archives is housed on the 12th floor of the Main Library keeps special hours, which can be found on their webpage.
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