UF4U: CardCat

You know how when you go to the library and are in the stacks looking for a particular book, and while you're searching the shelves, you stumble across an equally interesting book you'd like to check out? You'll be glad to know that even if you can't physically visit Bracken Library, you can still browse the shelves! This week, I'm highlighting another Useful Feature for You in CardCat, Ball State's online library catalog.

CardCat has a great feature where you can search items on the shelf near the one you're displaying on your screen. Just look for the Nearby items on shelf link on the left-hand side of the screen. See the screenshot for a clearer view.

So, when might you want to use this feature? Well, say you're interested in a book on a particular topic like "nursing management." You enter the search in CardCat and find a book you'd like to get via interlibrary loan. If you click on the Nearby items on shelf link, CardCat will show you a list of other items dealing with similar subjects which may relate to your original search. It does involve a little bit of good fortune to find useful items this way, but it can help you see what the library has on a broad subject, at the very least.

This is another great example as to why you don't have to be in the library to use it!