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Using the WorldCat Database In this video, you will learn how to use the
WorldCat database to find books and other library items. WorldCat is a global library
catalog. It is a good database to use when you are doing a research project requiring
a comprehensive literature search, or if you are looking for something that has proven
difficult to find. To begin, access the library homepage, library.jhu.edu. From here we have
two options to access the WorldCat database. We can either use the link under Tools & Tips,
or we can type “WorldCat” into the Databases box. As you can see, there is a different
WorldCat database for searching dissertations. Because WorldCat is such a large database,
it may be helpful to limit your search to a particular part of a record to provide some
focus. Here I am going to use a Geographic Coverage limit along with a keyword to help
focus my search. You can also use the date and language limits, and you can ask to see
items in a particular format. For this search, I am going to limit my search to books. WorldCat
also has a unique limiter—the number of libraries that have the item. A choice of
fewer libraries means the items retrieved are more likely to be unique. This is especially
helpful if you are interested in a comprehensive search. The downside, however, is that these
items may be harder to retrieve. Once you have done your search, you can tell right
away from this green banner if the item is available at Johns Hopkins. Clicking on this
article will take us to this page. From here, click the FindIt button. On the FindIt page,
we see the exact location and call number of the book in question. If the book we are
looking for is not at Johns Hopkins, we may request a copy through Inter-Library Loan,
located here. Select “MSE Borrowers” and sign in through you JHED ID and password.
In summary, remember that WorldCat offers a large and comprehensive database of resources.
To limit your search, use the various features of the WorldCat search page. Finally, once
you have found your item, use FindIt or Inter-Library Loan to retrieve the item in question.