WorldCat searches the holdings of libraries from all over the world, as well as
WorldCat searches the holdings of libraries from all over the world, as well as content from thousands of journals and millions of electronic books and web-accessible documents. The interface may vary depending on your university/college library access or if you are using the free WorldCat version which allows you to make a free account.
When to Use It
WorldCat is good for quick searches on a topic, as a starting point, identifying what books might be available for a topic, and for interdisciplinary topics. However, despite its size, it is not all-inclusive. It does not search all journals and databases, and full-text searching is limited.
How to Use It
To access WorldCat, look carefully on your library’s homepage to see if there is an access point.
Look for: Books and more, catalogs, or a database list. Click on the link and commence searching. Keep in mind that you can use a free version and identify where books may be located.
Narrowing Searches
- As discussed in precision searching, use a variety of search term combinations to find books and other materials
- When you find appropriate resources, scan the record for additional terms that may be useful for further searching.