How to Find a Hard-to-Locate Book
These step-by-step instructions will help you use WorldCat.org to locate a book that is hard to find. WorldCat pools individual library catalogs to make one giant online world catalog; according to its Web site, it is the largest network of library content in the world. WorldCat also includes links to booksellers that stock the book. In June of 2009, WorldCat included almost 1.5 billion holdings, in more than 470 languages.
Instructions
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Go to www.worldcat.org, and click on the "books" tab.
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In the appropriate field, enter keywords or the book's title or author.
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Scroll down to review your results. WorldCat will show links to the catalogs of libraries that have the book; how many miles away from you each of those libraries is; Web sites, if any, that sell the book; and the price of the book at each of those Web sites
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If you wish only to view or check out the book, follow the library links. Depending on the lending practices of the relevant libraries, you may be able to reserve or check out the book online and perhaps have it mailed or delivered to you.
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If you wish to buy the book, follow the bookseller links.
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Tips & Warnings
If you know the exact title and want to see few search results, use quotation marks around the title. If your search is unsuccessful, try your search without quotation marks around the title or with different search terms. If WorldCat returns too many results, use the Advanced Search feature to narrow the search.
