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Enter the Virtual Catalog | About the Virtual Catalog | How to use the Virtual Catalog
How to use the Virtual Catalog Searching and Requesting | Reviewing Your Requests | Common Problems Search the MA Virtual Catalog if the titles you want are unavailable in your local C/W MARS Library Catalog (Central MA or Western MA) and in the C/W MARS Union Catalog. To get started, select your region (where your home library is located) on the Enter the Virtual Catalog page (use the link at the top of this page or go to http://www.cwmars.org/vcat):
On the next screen, enter your C/W MARS Library Card number, choose a pickup location for your Virtual Catalog requests, and click Log In. If you are using an academic library card, you must select that library as your pickup location:
You will be brought to the Virtual Catalog Patron Main Menu. From here, click on Searching/Requesting to find materials in the Virtual Catalog:
Use the Search Menu to find the title you want:
The Combined Results screen will show you the libraries that own titles matching your search criteria:
Scroll down to review the titles and find the one you want:
You can click on the title link to see more information about a specific title:
Click the Request button to request a title from the Virtual Catalog. On the Create Request screen, verify your name and select a library branch (if necessary):
Entering notes for the librarian to review will delay your request. Do not enter anything in the Notes field unless you are requesting a specific volume from a multi-volume set. To receive e-mail updates about the status of your request, enter your e-mail address. Click on Submit Request:
If your request is successful, you will see a Request Confirmed screen:
When you are done using the Virtual Catalog, remember to log out by clicking on the Quit button on the left side of the screen:
To review your Virtual Catalog requests, log in from the Enter the Virtual Catalog page (use the link at the top of this page or go to http://www.cwmars.org/vcat). Select your region:
On the next screen, enter your C/W MARS Library Card number, choose a pickup location, and click Log In. You must choose a pickup location, even though you may plan only to review existing requests:
You will be brought to the Virtual Catalog Patron Main Menu. From here, click on Review your Requests to see the status of outstanding Virtual Catalog requests:
On the Patron Inquiry screen, click on a title link to see details for that request:
On the Request Details screen, you can cancel requests or return to the Patron Inquiry screen to choose another request to review:
When you are done using the Virtual Catalog, remember to log out by clicking on the Quit button on the left side of the screen:
1. If the Virtual Catalog cannot validate your library card number when you first log in, you will see the following message:
Check the Patron ID field to see if you have entered your library card number properly. If there is an error in the number, correct it and click the Submit Input button to log in again. Verify that the pickup library you have selected is in your home region. If you have selected a library outside your region, the Virtual Catalog will be unable to find your patron record in the C/W MARS system. Use your browser's Back button to go back to the C/W MARS Enter the Virtual Catalog page and start over. If your Patron ID and Library are correct, it could be that the Virtual Catalog is temporarily unable to connect to the C/W MARS system to verify your patron record. Wait a few minutes and try again. If you are still unable to log in to the Virtual Catalog, contact the staff at your local C/W MARS Library for assistance. There could be a problem with your library record that is preventing you from accessing the Virtual Catalog. 2. If you try to request a title that is available in your local C/W MARS library catalog (Central MA or Western MA), the Virtual Catalog will deny your request and display the following message:
You should find the title in the C/W MARS catalog for your region and place a request there. 3. The title you want may be currently unavailable for requesting through the Virtual Catalog. If you see the following message, try asking your local library staff if they can obtain the title for you another way:
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