When I was a kid, tracking down a book at the library still involved digging through the card catalog. This was the norm for me through college. Then the web took off. Pretty much any public or school library you visit these days has moved its catalog online, but typically you’ve likely had to hit each library’s website when trying to track down an elusive book, video, or CD. A new service called WorldCat changes that.
WorldCat searches libraries near you–for example, it knew I was at the University of Kansas based on my IP address and found results at KU, the Lawrence Public Library, libraries in smaller nearby towns, and on into Kansas City. Some items may even be directly downloaded or viewed online. Like other services we’ve covered, WorldCat also lets you create and share reading lists and build bibliographies. It has a mobile-friendly version optimized for smart phones and other web-enabled mobile devices.
WorldCat accounts are free–they are only required for features like lists and bibliographies; you may search nearby libraries without signing up.
Photo: Helen K on Flickr
