MeLCat 101Presentation by Mike Fluture

Objectives for Tutorial

By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to do the following:•Properly search for a particular item

in the MeLCat Database.•How to place a request for a specific

item•How to check the status of your

request and renewing when needed.

Has this ever happened to

you?

•You visit your local library and try searching for a particular item, and you cannot find it?•You then check the catalog, and it shows that library doesn’t even carry the item!

What are you going to do??

That’s where MeLCat comes in!

What’s MeLCat?

•MeLCat is a program that can request any item from any participating Library.• It is then shipped to your home

library.•And plus, its completely free!

It all begins here!

How to Search for items

• You can search by either Keyword, Author, Title, and Series Title.• This gives users a group of different

options as to how to find the information the easiest.•Other methods include ISBN and

OCLC Number.

After the Search• After you have

located the item you would like, you will see something like this.• A record of the item

including some basic bibliographic information.

When you look at the record, you might notice this

•This shows how many MeLCat libraries carry this item and the names of those libraries.•This makes it easy for you to see where else the item you are looking for can be found.

• After you decide to request this item you will click the link that says “Get this for Me”.• This begins the

requesting process.

Next, You will fill in your name and library card ID# or Barcode

VOILA!Your request has been successfully submitted!

Checking the Status of a Request

• After submitting a request through MeLCat, you can always check the status of it to see where it is.• You begin by signing

into your “MyMel” account

You will then see a list of all the items you have either requested or checked

out.

Renewing Requests

• If you would like to renew your requested item, it must be done at least 4 days before the due date.

• According to MeLCat Policy, you are only allowed one renewal. After that, you have to return it to your home library.

Conclusion

•Now that you have learned about MeLCat, you might think twice before giving up on looking for items when you’re library doesn’t carry them.•MeLCat should be seen as an

extension of your library’s collection, not just another service it offers.

Additional Information

•For general MeLCat questions, contact your local library or visit:

http://www.mel.org/index.php?P=MeL--MeLCatHelp

Thank You.