Library testing new catalog: WorldCat Local

The University of Idaho, in cooperation with academic libraries throughout Idaho, is testing WorldCat® Local, a ground-breaking new information discovery tool. While traditional library catalogs provide access to single collections from one library, WorldCat® Local accesses the collections of other Idaho libraries and more than 10,000 libraries worldwide.

"Today's library users need and deserve tools that easily open doors to our collections. WorldCat® Local is such a tool," said Lynn Baird, dean of the University of Idaho Library. "Our students and researchers will find it helpful to find books, journal articles, and dissertations or photographs with a single search. This tool will save people time because it will serve as a single point to find quality materials of all types."

Initially piloted at the University of Washington, WorldCat® Local is being implemented at prominent institutions, such as the University of California System, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Ohio State University. In Idaho WorldCat® Local searching will be available at the University of Idaho, the University of Idaho College of Law library, Boise State University and Lewis-Clark State College.

WorldCat Local is still in the testing phase and still has a number of bugs that we are working through. For example, some of the library's older holdings cannot yet be found in WorldCat Local, and many of our electronic journal holdings are not yet listed.

The UI Library's classic catalog, which has complete holdings, is still available and will continue to be made available after WorldCat Local has made it through the testing phase. Also, for journal and newspaper articles and other resources the library's online databases are the most comprehensive source. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the UI Library Reference Department at 885-6584 or libref@uidaho.edu.

This cooperative project is partially funded by the Idaho Commission of Libraries through a Library Services and Technology Act grant. This collaborative endeavor is designed to improve Idaho's access to library resources, no matter where those resources are located.