Using DELCAT Discovery

Use DELCAT Discovery to...

• Find out if the University of Delaware Library has a particular book, film, or journal.
• Locate a variety of materials, including books, articles, and film and video, related to a research topic.
• Look up items that have been placed on Course Reserves for a class.
• Request a print book to pick up at the Help Center using Get This For Me!
• Sign in to your Library Account to view your checkouts and renew books.

DELCAT Discovery includes...

• Records of the University of Delaware Library's book, journal, film and video collections in either physical or electronic formats.
• Records of articles from multiple databases to which the Library subscribes.
• Information about the collections of libraries around the world.
• "View full text" and "View eBook" links directly to an article or ebook, when available. 
• A "Get This For Me!" link to request a book from the Library's circulating collections or from Interlibrary Loan.

For those wishing to get a sense of a topic for the first time, or for those conducting exhaustive research, DELCAT Discovery provides a particularly valuable starting point.

What is not included?

DELCAT Discovery does not index all of the databases to which the library subscribes. Use the full list of Databases and the Research Guides to find links to more resources and to perform more precise, subject-specific searches.

Additionally, rare books and manuscript items held by the UD Library, Museums and Press are not are not fully cataloged in this resource. Contact the Special Collections department or Museums to learn more about the unique, local collections that exist at the University of Delaware.

The New DELCAT Discovery (https://delcat.on.worldcat.org/)

As the previous version of DELCAT Discovery has been discontinued, UD Library, Museums and Press moved to an updated version on August 4, 2021.

Library Account Access

The new DELCAT Discovery offers single sign-in access to both your library account and enhanced features like personal lists and saved searches. Simply sign in with your UD ID or username and password. (For step-by-step instructions to access personal lists created with a WorldCat account before the transition, see page 6 of this document.)

Links to Course Reserves and Chat

Note the links to Course Reserves and Chat with a Librarian in the page header (pictured above). These are available on any screen within the new DELCAT Discovery.

Search Options

Group Related Editions

Need to find a particular version of a book or film? Uncheck this option to reveal additional editions and formats held by University of Delaware Library and libraries worldwide.

Retain Filters for Next Search

After you've chosen search filters from the left side of the results screen, look for this option and check the box to keep the same filters in place for your next or revised search.

Browse the Shelf

Because most call numbers are assigned based on the subject of a book’s contents, browsing can be an effective way to identify additional materials related to a research topic. The new DELCAT Discovery allows you to browse virtually. For step-by-step browsing instructions, see page 3 of this document.

Get This For Me!

In case you missed the announcement last spring, University of Delaware students, faculty, and staff can now click on the "Get This For Me!" button to request the books they need. If the Library owns the book and it's on the shelf, the book will be held at the Help Center and the requester will be notified that it's available for pickup. If the book is not available, or if it's owned by another library, the request will be routed to Interlibrary Loan for fulfillment. Click here for more information about this service here.