How and why did KSU acquire the Babar Collection?

The Babar Collection was bequeathed to Kent State by John L. Boonshaft in 1992 and arrived following his death in 1997. The collection fits into the Department's concentration in children's literature.

Finding aid for the Boonshaft Babar collection

I have a Saalfield book that might be worth some money. Can you tell me how much it's worth?

Some Saalfield books are collectible. Special Collections cannot provide an appraisal or value to you. Please see our general FAQ regarding appraisals, for more information.

FAQ on Appraisal

Where can I find information on a Saalfield author or illustrator?

Special Collections & Archives does not have information files on most Saalfield authors and illustrators. Instead we have examples of their publications. Your local library may be able to help you to track down biographical information about Saalfield authors and illustrators. Reference works such as Something About the Author and Contemporary Authors (published by Gale) may include the person you are researching. Many Saalfield authors and illustrators are not well-known or well-documented, so your search might be difficult.

If I want to visit Kent State in person, is the Saalfield Collection available for use?

Yes, the collection is available for research or general interest use on site. If you are traveling from out of town, you are strongly encouraged to contact Special Collections & Archives as far in advance as possible. Please review our finding aids ahead of time to identify specific parts of the collection to view in person. For more details on using our collections, see our Usage Guidelines & Protocols.

Special Collections  & Archives Usage Guidelines & Protocols

I have a Saalfield book that does not include a publication date. Can you tell me in what year it was published?

Many of the books published by Saalfield were issued without dates. In most cases, it is difficult for us to determine a precise date. The binding style, illustrations, and other features of the book often can provide clues to an estimated time period of publication.

I am searching for vital records about an ancestor. Do you assist with genealogical research?

We have Chestnut Burr yearbooks, catalogs, and other university records that may contain information about KSU alumni. Additionally, we have some regional histories that include information about prominent citizens from Portage County, Kent, and nearby areas.

The University of Akron Archival Services holds vital records for Summit, Portage, Stark, Tuscarawas, Coshocton, Holmes, Wayne, Ashland, and Richland counties. The Western Reserve Historical Society holds vital records for Lorain, Medina, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Ashtabula counties. Records for Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Carroll, Jefferson, and Harrison counties are held by the Youngstown Historical Center.

Ohio Historical Society's Network of History Research Centers Web site

When was KSU founded?

On May 19, 1910, Ohio Governor Judson Harmon approved the Lowry Bill, denoting that Kent, Ohio become the home of a normal school (i.e., a two-year school for training teachers). Classes for Kent State Normal School began in 1913. In 1915, due to the expansion of curriculum and the addition of four-year degrees, the Board changed the school's name to Kent State Normal College. In 1929, the school's name was changed to Kent State College. Finally, in 1935, with proposed new schools of business administration and graduate programs having been added to the curriculum, the State of Ohio House and Senate approved a bill that designated Kent State College as a university. The school's name was then changed to Kent State University.

Why are there black squirrels on campus?

According to our research of historical files and newspaper accounts, in February 1961, ten black squirrels (also known as London Black Squirrels, from London, Ontario) were imported from Canada by Larry Woodell, superintendent of grounds, and M. W. Staples, a retired executive of the Davey Tree Expert Company. The squirrels have been a distinctive feature of the campus ever since. In addition to Kent, black squirrel sightings have been reported throughout northeast Ohio and other parts of the state as their population has expanded. The black squirrel has affectionately become known as Kent State University's "unofficial mascot." 

Victoria Park, London, Ontario site

What are the lyrics to the alma mater? Who wrote it and when?

E. Turner Stump wrote the lyrics, with music by Dwight Steere. The alma mater was first published in the Kent songbook in 1931.

Verse 1:
From the beauty land Ohio comes a universal praise,
'Tis the song of Alma Mater that her sons and daughters raise.
'Tis a Hail to Kent forever, on the Cuyahoga shore,
Now we join the loving thousands as they sing it o'er and o'er.
Hail to Thee, our Alma Mater.
O, how beautiful Thou art,
High enthroned upon the hilltop,
Reigning over every heart.

Verse 2:
From the hilltop Alma Mater gazing on her portals wide,
Sees the coming generations as they throng to seek her side,
Seek her side to win her blessing, throng her gates to bear her name,
Leave her gates to sing her praises go afar to spread her fame.
Hail to Thee, our Alma Mater.
O, how young and strong thou art,
Planning for the glorious future,
Firm enthroned in every heart.

KSU Official Songbook Committee records

What is the history of Robert I. Smithson's Partially Buried Woodshed located on the Kent campus?

In 1970, artist Robert I. Smithson created the Partially Buried Woodshed at the corner of Summit Street and Rhodes Road. Considered a pioneer of the "earth-art movement," Smithson used a bulldozer to pile dirt against an abandoned woodshed and formed what would become one of Kent State's most recognizable and controversial pieces of art. An unidentified arsonist burned part of the shed in 1975, and in 1984 the structure was removed permanently from campus.

A collection of archival materials related to Smithson and the Partially Buried Woodshed is available in the Department of Special Collections & Archives, called the Robert I. Smithson, Partially Buried Woodshed, papers and photographs collection.

Do you have information on the history of sports at KSU or specific athletic programs at the University?

Special Collections & Archives has a wealth of information on the history of sports and athletics programs at Kent State. The Kent State University Sports Information and Athletic Communications records collection contains records of various KSU sports programs, individual athlete files, and records on athletics personnel. The digitized Daily Kent Staters as well as the Chestnut Burr  yearbooks also include sports information. 

How do I find information about campus buildings?

Special Collections & Archives has basic subject files on campus buildings in our KSU Buildings and Grounds Subject Files collection and a collection of building photographs in our KSU Buildings photographs collection. A large amount of these photographs are now digitized and available online in our Kent State History: Digital Archive. 

Kent State History: Digital Archive: "Buildings and Grounds"

Where can I find campus maps from different time periods?

The Department of Special Collections & Archives has many campus maps from various time periods available. Selected campus maps have been digitized and are available online in our Kent State History: Digital Archive.

Kent State History: Digital Archive: "Maps" 

KSU Campus Maps collection (printed copies)

How may I request a copy of my student transcript?

Special Collections & Archives does not house student transcripts. They are administered by the Office of the University Registrar. Please view the Office of the University Registrar's Transcript page for questions about  student records. This applies to transcripts for the University School (Kent State University high school) as well.

Do you have statistics on KSU enrollment?

Incomplete enrollment statistics are available in Special Collections & Archives beginning with the year 1971 in our KSU Enrollment Statistics collection. Additionally, there is very scattered enrollment data from 1912 to 1970 available within other collections. For the most recent enrollment data, see the Kent State University Facts page, and the statistics provided by Institutional Research. 

How do I find FACULTY salaries?

Faculty salaries may be found in the Board of Trustees minutes and supplements that are prepared and made publicly available after each Board meeting. These Board books are available in the Department of Special Collections & Archives. 

Where can I find a Kent State thesis, dissertation, or Honors College thesis?

Some Kent State theses and dissertations are now published entirely in digital format. You may access these online, as well as those of additional OhioLINK institutions, at the OhioLINK Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Center (ETD). ETDs at Kent State are managed within the Department of Copyright Services in University Libraries. Please consult their website for questions about electronic theses and dissertations and the ETD Center. 

For theses and dissertations not represented in the ETD Center, especially earlier works, there should be a circulating bound copy of each thesis or dissertation in the main library stacks. You can check this by searching the KentLINK catalog by the author's name, or by the title.

There will also be one archival copy of each in Special Collections & Archives, also shown in the KentLINK catalog. This archival copy does not circulate and must be used in the Special Collections & Archives reading room (Library Rm 1212). Because of this, you should check to see if there is a circulating copy available in the main library stacks first before coming to Special Collections & Archives. 

Sometimes there is also a circulating microform copy of the thesis or dissertation which can be requested in KentLINK. 

What is the best way to search for KSU theses or dissertations in KentLINK?

If you know the author or title of the thesis or dissertation you need, simply perform a KentLINK author or title search to find its location, or ask for assistance from the University Libraries Reference Services department.

For theses and dissertations that are found in the OhioLINK Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Center (ETD), you can browse by Kent State departments, authors, and titles. 

How can I obtain a photocopy of a Kent State thesis, dissertation, or Honors College thesis?

If there is no circulating copy of a Kent State thesis or dissertation in the main library stacks, you may request a photocopy from Special Collections & Archives in accordance with our Duplication Guidelines & Protocols. 

Where can I find a School of Library and Information Science (SLIS)/iSchool research paper?

A copy of each SLIS/iSchool research paper is kept on file in Special Collections & Archives. You must know the name of the author before requesting a paper as they are filed by name.

How can I find a NON-Kent State Univeristy dissertation or thesis?

Please consult with the University Libraries Reference Services unit for assistance in locating a non-Kent State thesis or dissertation.

Where can I have my printed thesis or dissertation bound?

Check with your local copy or print shop to see if they offer binding services. We do not provide this service. 

University Libraries Copyright Services page on purchasing bound printed copies

Are any of the materials in Special Collections & Archives protected by copyright? Can I use these materials for a project or publication?

Although some materials in Special Collections & Archives are part of the public domain, the majority of materials in the collection are protected under copyright laws. In many instances, Special Collections & Archives does not own the copyright for the materials in its collections. In these cases, it is the responsibility of the user to secure formal, written permission from the copyright owner(s) in order to use the materials in a publication or other type of project. However, in most cases, the Department can provide duplications of materials for personal research use. Please view the department's Duplication Guidelines & Protocols for more information.

Special Collections & Archives Duplication Guidelines & Protocols

Why do I have to fill out a form to use materials in Special Collections & Archives?

Special Collections & Archives requires annual registration to use materials in the collection, due to security protocols and in order to gather statistical data on use of the collection. The information gathered in these forms are stored in a secure server and are subject to library patron privacy policies.

University Libraries Patron Privacy Policy

I noticed that your finding aids include references to the cubic footage of a collection. What are "cubic feet" in relation to archival collections?

For our purposes, a cubic foot refers to a record storage box measuring approximately 10" x 12" x 16" (roughly the size of a copier paper box). We include this information in our finding aids in order to give researchers an idea of the size of a collection. For example, a collection containing "250 cubic feet" will be comprised of approximately 250 boxes of documents, photographs, audio recordings, or other materials, and would be considered a large collection. Smaller collections may be comprised of fractions of cubic feet, such as ".5 cubic feet" (one smaller box).

I have an item or collection I want to donate to Special Collections & Archives. Where should I send it?

Thank you for your interest in our collections. We add materials to our collections on a selective basis in accordance with our current collection development guidelines and priorities. We do not accept unsolicited in-kind donations and are under no obligation to retain or return materials sent to us without prior discussion and agreement. We respect your feelings about your collections and historical materials. Please respect our efforts to create a carefully and responsibly curated collection by discussing any potential gifts in-kind with us to see if we are the right home for them, or not.

Please contact us by email or phone for more information.

I am trying to locate a particular issue of a detective or crime pulp magazine. Do you have any detective or crime magazines?

Special Collections holds some periodicals in the detective and true crime genres, including pulps. Please search KentLINK for listings, as well as the finding aids for the Borowitz Collection. If you are having trouble locating or recollecting the name of a crime magazine or a particular article, Patterson Smith Antiquarian Bookseller and Publisher's Web site is a valuable resource.

Patterson Smith True Detective Crime Magazines site