summit searching
Academic libraries in Oregon (and Washington) use a shared catalog called Summit. Summit switched to WorldCat Local from III - with the idea that instead of searching your local library, then your shared catalog, then Worldcat that you just search Worldcat and books in your local and shared catalog will bubble up to the top.
It doesn't work perfectly, and especially not for known item lookups.
An example of a book that immediately properly show up as being held in a Summit library is:
Title: Design of Brushless Permanent-Magnet Machines
Authors: J. R. Hendershot, T. J. E. Miller
If you simply copy and paste the title into Summit (http://summit.worldcat.org), a default keyword search shows you the correct book but not that Summit libraries have it. If you do an advanced search by author, title or whatever, you find the book and that Summit libraries have it.
The summary of advice from academic librarians in Oregon is:
1. Start with the advanced search page (http://summit.worldcat.org/advancedsearch)
2. Use and share the handouts/help created by WSU, PCC and the ORBIS/Cascade Alliance:
- http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/wcl/indexsearch.html
- http://tinyurl.com/orbiswcl
- http://www.orbiscascade.org/index/summit-on-worldcat-searching-tips
3. Don't give up if it seems like a Summit library doesn't have something. Keep looking, ie, search by author, isbn, etc.
4. Don't forget to mention how easy it is to get something delivered to your library through Summit (generally 5 days)
Comments
I (heart) Summit
I love Summit! I got most of my textbooks for library school through Summit and I still use it for hard-to-find books that my local public library consortium doesn't have. Caleb's right, the books are delivered quickly. The only downside (and it's a tiny one) is that there is only 1 renewal allowed generally, and with some books, no renewals. But still, when it's a book you wouldn't otherwise be able to get, that's nothing to complain about!