Once you have identified a book of interest, there are several ways in which you might obtain them:
- E-Books - Nearly one half of the Libraries’ book holdings are electronic. For an electronic book, you may be able to connect immediately, but there is a chance you will have to wait if somebody else is looking at the book you have found. You should be able to access your book 15 minutes after the person has finished looking at the book.
- In the Library - If the book status is AVAILABLE, note the Location and Call Number. The Location will tell you which library to go to, and once there, Library staff can explain to you how to find items with your particular call number. Because the call number reflects the subject matter of the books, you may find more useful books nearby.
EXPERT TIP: Sometimes, you'll see the location SW Depository for a book. This is an exception to the rule mentioned above. This is usually older material which is located in a storage facility. It will be delivered to you if you use the Request Item link; however, you might ask your instructor if there is more recent research which might better meet your needs than this older material.
- OhioLINK - But what if the book you want is checked out? Or MISSING? Never fear; you can click on the OhioLINK link in the left column of the catalog. This will search a catalog shared by Ohio’s colleges and universities. If there is another copy of the book which is not in use, you can select the Request Item button and have the book delivered to the Libraries, typically within 3-5 weekdays. You will be notified by email when the item is ready to be picked up.
FOR MORE INFORMATION video on finding books using the catalog.