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Finding books in other libraries: WorldCat

Guide to using Library Hub Discover, Copac and other tools to find books and other material in other libraries in London

 

 

WorldCat is similar to LHD but worldwide in its coverage, with over 10,000 libraries included. 

When and why to use WorldCat:

  • if you will be out of the UK for a time and want to find out what's available locally
  • to work out if a research trip abroad for your dissertation would be worthwhile
  • to access the online material in WorldCat (there is much more than in Library Hub Discover)
  • to find out what has been published: if necessary, the SIA librarians can then help you locate a copy.

Details of some articles from databases such as JSTOR are included, though you will not be able to access these directly through WorldCat.  If you find an article like this you wish to read, search for it again in Summon.  

Begin by running a simple search (shown below - quote marks are useful, as in Summon).

By clicking the button circled below, you can also conduct an advanced search.  

To the left of the results list, you will find all sorts of options for filtering those results. For instance, below you can see some of the format options. Note the scroll down bar on the right so you can see all of the options:

Once you have clicked through to a result from the list, there will be a few options.

This section is for finding the resource in a library near your location. This could be either a physical copy or a digital resource (usually to be accessed on site). This does not necessarily mean free access. If a log-in is needed, it's usually easiest to search for the item again in Summon. Of course, do contact the SIA library if you need help.

This 'Borrow' button will appear to the right of your screen. This will take you to the website of the closest library to your location. There you can find information about accessing the resource.

It is also possible to use Open Access resources through WorldCat. These will be clearly indicated on the search results page. They can be opened by clicking the above button on the top right of the resource page.