Michael Schwartz Library
Michael Schwartz Library
216.687.2478
The Michael Schwartz Library supports your research and learning at Cleveland State University. We provide you with access to millions of resources. The scope of resources and services the library has can be intimidating, so this guide is meant to highlight the different ways you can research topics and some of the most used services we offer.
Academic libraries primarily have academic and research materials; that is, you might not find the latest New York Times best selling titles here, but you can find the latest scholarly research on any topic imaginable, as well as reference sources, scholarly books, classic literature, sheet music, documentaries, and much more.
Your professors will want you to use high quality sources for your research, and we've tried to make it as easy as possible to find these types of sources. However, never hesitate to ask a librarian for help on your research. That's why we're here!
Most academic and research libraries use Library of Congress Classification to shelve their books in order. Library of Congress Classification uses combinations of letters and numbers to organize books by subject, unlike Dewey Decimal, which uses decimal numbers 0-999.
You can always contact the reference desk for assistance. There is a librarian on staff during most hours the desk is open.
If you would like to visit the reference desk in person, it is located on the 1st floor of the library, in the Learning Commons lab area.
You can also contact the reference desk by phone at 216-687-5300, or by chat by using the "Ask Us" feature on our website.
A reference librarian can help you locate academic sources for your research projects. They also answer other questions as well, so don't hesitate to ask!
Librarians are there to help answer your research questions. We can help you look up books and articles on a topic, navigate the databases, figure out how to cite sources, and anything research related. At Cleveland State University, like many colleges and universities, there are subject librarians who specialize in different academic areas. Your librarian might even come to class to give a lesson on research in your subject.
You can always consult the reference desk if you have a question, but you can also make an appointment with a librarian or email them.
You can check out books with your Viking Card at User Services, the front desk on the 1st floor of the library. If you request books online, you will pick them up here.
The standard loan time for CSU books is 4 weeks. Items can be renewed 4 times if it is not requested by another user.
Books requested through OhioLINK can be checked out for 3 weeks and renewed up to 6 times.
Many of the resources in the library are electronic, meaning you can access them from home or any other location. Because they are only available to the Cleveland State University community, you will need to log in using a Library PIN that you create yourself.
You will also use your Library PIN to access your library account, and request books from other schools. From your library account, you can renew books from anywhere.
Some courses may have items on reserve. If the item is a physical book, you can check it out for a limited amount of time, typically 2 hours, from User Services. If the item is electronically available, it is accessed from E-Reserves. To access the e-reserve materials for your class, simply select your course from the list below.
Your professor should have provided you with a 4 digit password to access the materials for your course. If you cannot locate this number, you may ask a librarian.