Accessing other library catalogs

You may want to expand your search for books beyond the Webster-Eden Library System catalog. Through the Library Web site, you can connect to and search other library catalogs. In an earlier section, we saw how you could search the MOBIUS catalog to find items available at Missouri academic libraries. You may also search individual library catalogs or try a database called OCLC WorldCat that searches records from many libraries at once, including ones outside of Missouri.

Searching individual catalogs

From the Library home page, follow the link to Worldwide Library Catalogs. You will find links to St. Louis area libraries and sites that link to libraries elsewhere in the country and the world.

On the same "Worldwide Library Catalogs" page is a link to Local Library Information for Webster University Extended Campuses. There is information on local libraries in extended campus areas and in many cases, links to the catalogs of those libraries. Many of those libraries extend services to Webster University students through arrangements with the local site office.

Searching multiple libraries at one time

OCLC WorldCat is a database that lets you search the holdings of many libraries at once. It has bibliographic records for books and items in libraries worldwide. Each record lists the libraries that own the item. Current Webster/Eden faculty, students, and staff may access OCLC WorldCat by going to the Library home page (http://library.webster.edu) and following the link to "Articles/Databases". Then look up the name of the database in the alphabetical list.

Here is a sample OCLC WorldCat record :

In this example, the following icon indicates that a copy of this book is owned by the Webster-Eden Library System: .

At this point, you would need to switch over to our Bridges catalog to see whether the book is at the Webster or Eden library and if it is available. If you follow the Worldwide Library Catalogs link in the above example, you will go to a screen that lists additional libraries that own the item. Here is part of the holdings listing for our sample record:

Why are Missouri Libraries shown first on the list?

Since the Webster-Eden Library System subscribes to this database through a cooperative arrangement in the state of Missouri, the display for libraries will list Missouri libraries first. Click on the "Display All Libraries" link at the top to see a list of all holding libraries.

Can I borrow books that are in other libraries?

If the Webster-Eden Library System owns a book, Webster/Eden extended campus students, faculty, or staff may request to borrow it through our Document Delivery Service. If not available from our library, try to locate the item in a library in the extended campus area. Check with your site office to learn about borrowing agreements with nearby libraries. Your local public library will often request items for local residents through a service called "Interlibrary Loan".

Interlibrary Loan Service is available to Webster/Eden students, faculty, and staff who attend a St. Louis area campus. You must, however, check the MOBIUS catalog first to see if the book can be requested from a participating library in Missouri. If it is, you may send a request yourself and have the book delivered to our library. See the section on Exploring the MOBIUS System in this tutorial for more information.

If the item you want isn't available in MOBIUS, St. Louis area students, faculty and staff may use the electronic forms on the Library homepage or at Interlibrary Loan Service. An infopass to check out books from selected St. Louis area libraries which don't participate in MOBIUS is also available. Check with a reference librarian. MOBIUS is currently available only to Missouri residents.

The next section offers guidance in searching the Webster-Eden Library System catalog for videos and other media materials.