Finding Books

Finding books may involve several steps, depending on availability of the materials. Start by searching materials owned by Milner Library. Then, if necessary, expand your search to Illinois academic libraries.  Finally, search the catalog of academic libraries throughout the U.S.  These steps are described in more detail below.

STEP 1:
Use the Milner Catalog to search for materials owned by Milner.  Use the Request button in the catalog to request that materials be retrieved from the Milner shelves and held for you at the main circulation desk (this may take a day or two). Better yet, retrieve materials directly from the Milner shelves using the floor locations and call numbers indicated in the catalog.

STEP 2:
Use the  I-Share Catalog to search for materials owned by 76 Illinois academic libraries in the CARLI consortium.  You can access I-Share directly or through the Milner Catalog.  When in the Milner Catalog, select All I-Share Libraries to the right of the search box.  Or use the show all libraries link to the right of your Milner Catalog search results, under the heading Facets Now Applied.  Materials found in I-Share can be requested from other libraries by using the Request function in the catalog.  Requested materials are typically shipped to Milner within 5 to 7 days, depending on their location and the time of year (requests during semester breaks may take longer).  You will be notified via e-mail when your requested items are available at the Milner circulation desk. This is a free service.  To request materials using I-Share you will need to first register for an I-Share account.

STEP 3:
Use WorldCat to search for materials owned by libraries throughout the U.S. not otherwise available through the Milner Catalog or I-Share Catalog.  Books found in WorldCat can be requested by using the interlibrary loan link that appears near the top of WorldCat book records (see Request item from ILL).  Requested materials are typically shipped to Milner within 1 to 2 weeks.  You will be notified via e-mail when the book is available at the Milner circulation desk. These materials typically may be borrowed for only a few weeks.  This is a free service.

STEP 4:
Use the interlibrary loan service to request materials you cannot otherwise locate in the Milner Catalog, I-Share, or WorldCat. Milner Library staff will search all available resources and, if possible, will borrow the materials on your behalf. You will be notified via e-mail when the items are available for you at the Milner circulation desk.  This is a free service. 

Important note:
Carefully check both the Milner Catalog and I-Share before placing an order in WorldCat or interlibrary loan.  If you request an item through WorldCat or interlibrary loan that is otherwise available at Milner or via I-Share, your request may be cancelled.