Download the Kent State University Libraries’ Annual Report 2022-2023 (PDF).

Message from the Dean

Kenneth J. Burhanna
Dean and Professor University Libraries

Great universities have great libraries. I truly believe this, and I am happy to say that due to the hard work and dedication of our great library staff, faculty and students, and strong support from our provost and senior leadership, together we are making Kent State University better every day.

This report highlights our strategic commitments to student and research success, scholarly communication, freedom of speech and equity, and preserving our past with an eye toward the future. Following these commitments, we help move forward the strategic priorities of our great university.

Voted by students as the number one place to study for the 10^th consecutive year is something we are very proud of, as our lead priority is student success. We continue to expand our focus on lowering costs for students with our affordable course materials program. In the last academic year, we estimate that students saved $3.8 million in textbook costs through a mix of course reserves, open educational materials and ebook adoptions. Many colleagues have come together to make this happen, but a special thanks goes to faculty, as they ultimately determine which materials to assign to students.

We also continue to support and catalyze faculty research. I note here our partnership with the Office of Research and Economic Development and the University Research Council to support fees for open access publishing.

If you’re not aware of our Hacks the Stacks program, I invite you to send us your recommendations for materials from or about underrepresented authors and ideas. So far, we have invested more than $170,000 in making our collection more inclusive.

Don’t forget that within University Libraries are three other departmental gems: our award-winning Kent State University Press, our innovative LaunchNET team and the May 4 Visitors Center, which is under new leadership with a new vision, to use the history of May 4 as a lens to examine our current world in order to design a better future.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who partners, collaborates and engages with our libraries. We accomplish a great deal, but we don’t do it alone. We do it together with you. Thank you. You are all champions.