What is Worldcat?
WorldCat is an online library catalog and interlibrary lending system that allows users to search and access the collections of over 72,000 libraries around the world. It was founded in 1967 and is managed by the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC).
WorldCat provides access to over 2 billion items including 400 million books, e-books, DVDs, digital resources, rare books, musical scores, and more in over 470 languages. It spans thousands of years of human culture and allows users to search the holdings of libraries globally to find books and other resources on any topic.
Beyond just searching WorldCat enables users to find items in nearby libraries based on their location. Once an item is located, users can work with their local library to borrow materials from other libraries through interlibrary loan. This provides users access to an extensive global collection that no single library could provide on its own.
Overall, WorldCat serves as a global catalog for finding and accessing library materials and resources. Its goal is to make library collections useful to more people by enabling broad access and sharing of resources around the world.