| Virtual
catalog allows instant access to consortium libraries
By
Lori Wright, Media Relations
Faculty, staff and students now can search millions of books, periodicals
and other materials at 13 libraries across New England within moments
with the new Boston Library Consortium Virtual Catalog, which went
live Jan. 20.
The Virtual Catalog provides a single, searchable catalog of books
owned by participating libraries of the Boston Library Consortium.
The consortium has a combined collection of more than 31 million
volumes.
“The Virtual Catalog helps the library serve its constituency
by providing an alternative way for students, faculty and staff
to search for books that the library does not own. If they find
we do not own a title they want, they can search all these other
libraries at once and the request will be made automatically,”
says Claudia Morner, university librarian.
UNH became a member of the 19-member consortium in fall 2002, the
only institution from New Hampshire to gain membership.
Founded in 1970, the Boston Library Consortium is a cooperative
association of academic and research libraries that share resources
so the collective strengths of the group advance the research and
learning of the members’ constituents.
In addition to the Virtual Catalog, consortium membership provides
UNH constituents free interlibrary loan and on-site use of member
libraries; the collective buying power of all members, who have
a combined collection budget of $57 million; professional development
opportunities for library faculty and staff; and programs that UNH
could not offer on its own, such as a 24/7 reference service.
Consortium institutions participating in the Virtual Catalog include
UNH, Boston University, Brown University, Northeastern University,
Marine Bio Lab-Woods Hole Ocean Institute, Tufts University, U Mass-Amherst,
U Mass-Boston, U Mass-Dartmouth, U Mass-Lowell, U Mass-Worcester,
Wellesley College and Williams College.
Faculty, staff and students may directly request material to be
delivered to the Dimond Library. Circulating items may be borrowed
for up to 28 days.
The items will be delivered to Dimond Library in about four to five
days and may be picked up at the Loan Desk. For more information
about the Virtual Catalog, visit http://www.library.unh.edu/virtualcat/.
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