Welcome to Help
Introduction
Searching
- How do I conduct a search?
- How are search results sorted?
- How can I maximize search results?
- How do I refine a search by location?
- How do I refine a search by format (also called faceted browsing)?
- What does it mean when my default search is sorted by relevancy?
- How do I find a specific edition?
- What item formats are available?
- How do I find out if an item is available?
- How do I use Advanced Search?
- Advanced Search tips
- How do I e-mail records?
Requesting an Item
Introduction
What is WorldCat?
WorldCat is the world's largest network of library-based content and services. WorldCat is a "master" catalog of library materials. It's a way for you to locate a book, video or other item of interest and discover which libraries near you own the item. Individual member libraries in your community and elsewhere provide the actual services, such as loaning you a book or providing access to online articles.
WorldCat lets you search the collections of libraries in your community and thousands of other libraries around the world.
What will you find in WorldCat?
You'll find popular books, music CDs and videos—all of the physical items you're used to getting from libraries and bookstores. You can also discover many new kinds of digital content, such as downloadable audiobooks.
You may also find citations for articles with links to the full articles, plus authoritative research materials, such as documents and photos of local or historic significance; and digital versions of rare items that aren't available to the public. Because WorldCat libraries serve diverse communities in dozens of countries, materials are available in many languages.
Specialized resources
Some WorldCat libraries make their specialized reference databases available on their Web sites, but only to library members. Your WorldCat search may produce direct links to articles and other resources in these databases. To access these resources, though, you may first be required to log in using your active membership account with the owning library.
If you are using this site from physically within a WorldCat library or over an Internet connection recognized by the library (such as a campus-wide network), you may be able to link to the full text of an article right from its WorldCat detailed record.
How do I navigate?
Please use your browser’s Back button to go back to a previous screen.
Note: In some cases, you may need to click the Back button several times to get back to a previous screen. Most links open in a new window.
What if I am asked for an authorization or password?
Authentication methods vary from library to library, and are chosen by the library. Some features may require that you enter a username and/or password within your library’s local system to get access to certain items. You may be prompted for an authorization and password, if necessary.
Searching
How do I conduct a search?
The WorldCat search box is located on your library’s Home page.
To conduct a search:
| Step | Action |
Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Type key search terms, such as title, subject or author, in the search box. | |
| 2 | Click the Search button. | Results appear, sorted by location and relevance (see How are Search Results Sorted?). |
How are search results sorted?
Results are sorted by location and ranked by local results, group results (if applicable), and global results.
Note: Group results are only displayed if applicable.
Results are presented in order of relevance to your search terms. Search terms are taken into consideration and weighted based on relevancy to your search. Ranking of search results is based on the following:
Clicking the underlined item title on the Search Results screen will take you to the Detailed Record screen, where there is more information about that particular item.
How can I maximize search results?
Each search result set provides a variety of library resources found, in different locations and formats. To make the most of your search, you may narrow your results by several methods.
What does it mean when my default search is sorted by relevancy?
How do I refine a search by format (also called faceted browsing)?
What item formats are available?
How do I refine a search by location?
How do I refine a search by location?
You may limit your search results to your preferred location by using the drop-down menu to the right of the search box.
To limit a search by location:
| Step | Action |
Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | After a search, limit your results by selecting one of the location options in the drop-down box. | |
| 2 | Click the Search button. | Results are resorted to the location you chose. |
If you have too many search results, you may sort your results by relevancy, author or publication date. Also, you may refine your results by using faceted browsing on the left-hand side of the screen. For more information, please see:
What does it mean when my default search is sorted by relevancy?
How do I refine a search by format (also called faceted browsing)?
What item formats are available?
Note: If you sort your search results by one method (relevancy, author or publication date) then choose another sort method, your first sort option will not be retained. However, if you complete a search and then limit the results by location, that location limit will remain for the duration of your session (all results from other searches will also be limited to that location).
How do I refine a search by format (also called faceted browsing)?
You may limit your results to a certain type of format by using faceted browsing. To do this, choose an option under Format. The number of results for each type of available format is listed in parentheses.
If you have too many search results, you may also sort your results. For more information, please see:
What does it mean when my default search is sorted by relevancy?
How do I refine a search by location?
What does it mean when my default search is sorted by relevancy?
The default search results are sorted by relevance as seen in the Sort by: drop-down box. For more information on how search results are sorted, please see How are search results sorted?.
If you have too many search results, you may also limit your results by preferred format or location. For more information, please see:
How do I refine a search by format (also called faceted browsing)?
What item formats are available?
How do I refine a search by location?
How do I find a specific edition?
Edition information appears on the Detailed Record screen.
To find an edition:
| Step | Action |
Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | After a search, click the underlined item title on the Search Results screen. | The Detailed Record screen appears. |
| 2 | Click the underlined View all editions and formats link. | Detailed editions information appears for all available editions. Type (format) is also listed. For more information on formats, see What item formats are available?. |
| 3 | Click an item to see more detail, or click Return to Item Details to go back to the Detailed Record screen. |
Note: Editions are assembled based on title. Foreign language versions are listed separately. For more information, please see FRBR Work-Set Algorithm from OCLC Research.
What item formats are available?
Format |
Examples |
|---|---|
| Article | Text that is part of a larger item such as conference papers, chapters, or articles. Also known as "in analytics." |
| Book | Books, pamphlets, technical reports, typescripts, theses, dissertations, manuscripts and other written works. Includes Braille and large print editions. |
| Visual Material |
|
| Sound Recording |
|
| Musical Score | Printed music materials, including full score, choirs score, close score, condensed score, miniature score, part, music manuscript, books of musical studies and exercises. |
| Internet Resource | Websites with online documents, graphics, systems or services. |
| Serials / Magazines / Newspapers | Serial publications such as periodicals, newspapers, annuals, journals, memoirs, proceedings, monographs. |
| Computer File | Items in the following classes of electronic resources: computer software (including programs, games, images, graphics, sounds, and fonts), numeric data, computer-oriented multimedia, interactive multimedia, computer-oriented documents. |
| Map | Maps, map manuscripts, globes, atlases, aeronautical charts, navigational charts, celestial charts, remote-sensing images, computer-generated maps, and other cartographic material. |
| Archival Material | Materials in two or more forms that are usually related by virtue of their having been accumulated by or about a person or body. This category includes comprehensive archives and manuscript collections of mixed forms of materials, such as text, photographs, and sound recordings. |
How do I find out if an item is available?
To check availability, click on any item after a search. The Detailed Record screen appears.
Note: Availability information may take a moment.
Type of Availability |
Details |
|---|---|
| Local Availability | Once the item’s availability status is retrieved, the item’s location, call number and status are listed in the Get this item section. |
Group Availability |
To find the item at a different location within your group or consortium (if applicable), click the consortium or group link in the Get this item section. Item availability information is displayed for all the consortium libraries that own this item. The item availability information is retrieved from your group catalog. |
| Article/Electronic Resource Availability |
Item availability is listed for print articles and electronic articles. To check availability, click on an article result following a search. There are two options for getting an article:
|
| Serials Availability | To check availability, click on a serials result following a search. If any electronic resource links are found, they will be displayed in the Get this Item section with the heading Electronic resources found. If serials are available locally but not at your specific library, the Request Item button will display as well. |
How do I use Advanced Search?
Advanced Search lets you construct more complex search statements. Searches can be narrowed using some limiters. Advanced Search may be accessed from your library’s Home page, or from the Search Results screen.
To conduct an advanced search:
| Step | Action |
Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Click Advanced Search from the home page or Search Results screen. | The Advanced Search screen appears. |
| 2 | Type key search terms in at least one field. | 3 | Click the Search button. | Results appear, sorted by location and relevance (see How are Search Results Sorted?). |
In Advanced Search, you may search by:
Field |
Returns items: |
|---|---|
Keyword |
With the words appearing anywhere |
Title |
With the words in the title |
Author |
By author |
| Subject | In this subject area |
| ISBN, ISSN or OCLC Number | Associated with the designated number |
You may also limit search results (optional) by:
Field |
Returns only: |
|---|---|
Library |
Items owned by selected library(ies) |
Format |
Items in the format |
Publication Date |
Items published in a certain date range |
| Content | Items with the content |
| Audience | Items for the audience |
| Language | Items in the language |
Advanced Search tips
You may use any of the following in a basic or advanced search to limit your search results.
Keyword Searching
A keyword search uses one or more complete words (keywords) in a search. Results with all of your search terms appear, but they do not need to appear as a phrase (to search for a phrase, see Phrase Searching, below). Keywords may appear anywhere in the record, including titles, notes, abstracts, summaries, descriptions, and subjects. Keywords can also be names of people and places that are the subjects of a library resource or a listing in a directory.
You may enter words in upper or lower case, and if you use multiple words, you may enter them in any order.
Search results can contain a range of items related to your search keyword(s):
Phrase Searching
A phrase search uses quotation marks to allow an exact phrase to be searched as a whole word.
Examples:
If you type: |
Results are returned for: |
|---|---|
near east |
the words near and east |
“near east” |
the exact phrase “near east” |
Byzantine near east |
the word byzantine directly before or after the word east |
“Byzantine near east” |
the exact phrase “byzantine near east” |
Wildcards
Wildcards are special characters used to represent additional characters in a search term. They are useful when you are unsure of spelling, when there are alternate spellings, or when you only know part of a term.
Pound sign (#). The pound sign, also called a number sign or hash mark, represents a single character.
Example:
If you type: |
Results are returned for: |
|---|---|
wom#n |
the words woman and women |
Question mark (?). The question mark represents any number of additional characters. Include a number if you know the maximum number of characters the wildcard will replace. For example, fine?2 retrieves records that contain the word fine, plus up to two other characters, such as finer, finest.
Truncation
Truncation allows you to search for a term and its variations by entering a minimum of the first three letters of the term followed by a question mark symbol (?) or an asterisk (*). For example, securit? or securit* retrieves records that contain security, securities, securitization, etc.
Boolean operators
Boolean operators are supported as follows:
Operator |
Description |
Example |
|---|---|---|
plus sign (+) |
This is the default search operator. WorldCat searching uses +, which tries to find all of the words typed in the search box. Note: Any search for terms without an operator will return items with all the words. |
guns germs steel |
| OR (uppercase only) | symbol |
The use of OR, or the | symbol, will search for either of the words listed in the search box. |
Paris OR fashion |
minus sign (-) |
The minus sign will exclude terms from your search. |
Search for Paris but not fashion: Paris - fashion |
quotation marks (“ “) |
To search for an exact phrase, the search terms should be enclosed in quotation marks. |
“The Grapes of Wrath” ensures all words are located directly next to each other in the search results. |
Note: Parentheses are not supported.
Command Line Searching
For a more exact search, use one or more index label(s) in the command line during your search, followed by a colon.
| Index Label | Definition | Example |
| kw: | Keyword | kw:Harry Potter |
| ti: | Title | ti:Harry Potter |
| au: | Author | au:J K Rowling |
| su: | Subject | su:Harry Potter |
| isbn: | ISBN number | isbn:9780545010221 |
| issn: | ISSN number (serials) | issn:0093-7673 |
| no: | OCLC number | no:155131850 |
| se: | Serial | se:archaeology |
How do I e-mail records?
You may e-mail a link and message to any e-mail address(es) that you specify.
To conduct a search:
| Step | Action |
Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Click the E-mail link at the top of the Detailed Record screen. | A box appears with standard e-mail message content. |
| 2 | Enter data in the fields. | |
| 3 | Click the Send e-mail button. | An e-mail message with a link to the record will be sent to the selected recipient(s). |
Requesting an Item
How do I request an item or place a hold?
On the Search Results screen, relevant items that your library owns are listed first. Actual item availability is listed on the Detailed Record screen. The item’s availability status will be listed on the Detailed Record screen, along with other information such as location and due date.
Place Hold/Request Item
If an item you identify through a search is currently available, you may place an item on hold (Place Hold) or request an item (Request Item), depending on how your library has chosen to set this up.
To request an item or place a hold:
Step |
Action |
Result |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Click the Request Item or Place Hold button. |
The library’s catalog will respond with a Hold Verification or Request page. Note: You may be prompted for an ID and password, and/or be asked to pay a fee. |
2 |
Enter the necessary information, and click the button to submit your request. |
The request is processed. |
Requesting an item through Interlibrary Loan
Listings of all libraries in your area may not be listed. Your local library may not be a WorldCat member library, or may not own the particular item. Your library may, however, participate in a resource sharing program. This permits the item to be borrowed from another library.
If the item is not available at your library, the Request Item through Interlibrary Loan button will appear.
Click the button to go to your library’s interlibrary loan request page, where you will be asked to provide a username and/or password to request the item.
An example of a library’s interlibrary loan logon:
Requesting an Article
Click on an article result after a search. If no URL to an electronic version of this article is found, the Check for Electronic Resources button displays to search your library’s subscriptions to provide online access to the article. If full-text is available, direct links to the article are provided.
Note: There are multiple ways to access electronic resources. Options and button names may vary.
Requesting a Serial
Click on a serials result after a search. On the Detailed Record screen, all availability options are listed in the Get this item section. Links such as Connect to web site for online version will take you to an electronic version of the item. This link text will vary from library to library depending on the local naming convention for electronic links.
Citations for articles are included from whatever article databases for which your library has a subscription. Links may be provided to articles available in full-text or print from your library.
Note: Your library may have a number of article databases available for your use. Consult your library website or librarian for more information.
Note: You may be asked to provide a username and/or password to access the item.
How do I buy an item?
If your library has enabled the purchase option, Buy it links will appear at the bottom of the Get this item section.
You may click links to available suppliers such as Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble, where you can decide whether you would like to buy the item.
Clicking the link will take you to suppliers such as Amazon.com where you can decide whether you would like to buy the item.
