**Publisher/Platform:** OCLC (Online Computer Library Center)
**Subjects Covered:** Multidisciplinary – global library holdings, books, journals, media, dissertations, and digital collections.

Overview

WorldCat is the world’s largest library catalog, maintained by OCLC. It provides access to over 500 million records and more than 2 billion holdings from libraries across the globe. Users can search for books, journals, audiovisual materials, government documents, maps, and digital resources available in local and global library collections. At South Dakota Mines, WorldCat supports research and interlibrary loan services, allowing users to locate and request materials not owned by Devereaux Library.

Scope and Content

• Coverage: Global library holdings across 125 countries.
• Content Types: Books, e-books, journals, dissertations, audiovisual materials, maps, and archives.
• Subjects Include: Science, engineering, humanities, and social sciences.
• Database Size: Over 500 million bibliographic records contributed by more than 10,000 libraries.
• Platform Features: Global holdings information, citation tools, item availability, and integration with local discovery systems like Primo.

Strengths

• Comprehensive coverage of library holdings worldwide.
• Essential for locating materials not available locally and supporting interlibrary loan requests.
• Supports multiple formats including print, digital, and audiovisual materials.
• Displays real-time library ownership and availability information.
• Provides citation export and record-sharing features for research and teaching.
• Fully interoperable with OCLC systems like Tipasa and EZproxy.

Limitations

• Primarily bibliographic—does not provide full-text access.
• Some records may be incomplete or duplicated across editions.
• Interface and search options vary between WorldCat.org and WorldCat Discovery/FirstSearch.
• Advanced features require institutional login for access.
• Interlibrary loan request success depends on partner library availability.

Best For

• Students and faculty seeking materials beyond South Dakota Mines’ collection.
• Librarians managing interlibrary loan and resource sharing.
• Graduate researchers tracking global availability of dissertations and reports.
• Faculty identifying teaching materials held at other institutions.
• Anyone verifying bibliographic details, editions, or translations of works.

Complementary Databases

Overall Evaluation

WorldCat is an essential global library catalog connecting Devereaux Library with thousands of partner institutions worldwide. It enables users to discover, locate, and request materials far beyond local holdings, supporting South Dakota Mines’ research, teaching, and resource sharing. It should be listed in the A‑to‑Z Databases and featured in Interlibrary Loan, Research Support, and General Research LibGuides as the primary gateway for finding and requesting global library materials.

Ask Digby – Library Help

Can’t find what you need in the Library Catalog? Ask Digby, the Devereaux Library’s friendly prairie dog mascot! Digby can help you search WorldCat to locate books, dissertations, and media in libraries around the world—and request them easily through Tipasa.

📧 Email: library@sdsmt.edu

🌐 Chat: Ask Digby

🔗 Library Catalog (Primo): https://sdsmt.primo.exlibrisgroup.com

📍 Devereaux Library, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD