PrairieCat is our online automated catalog, placing 3.1 million items from more than 130 library locations right at your fingertips!
Click on the icon to the right to enter the catalog or start your search in the search bar at the top of the page; additional instructions are listed below.
PRAIRIECAT – Helpful Users Guide
PrairieCat Mobile App
Add our Mobile App for easy access to our catalog from your mobile device! You can manage your library account by creating your digital library card, which allows you to search the catalog, manage holds, renew materials, pay fines online, and more. It’s FREE for Android and iOS devices in GooglePlay and the AppStore. Look for this icon:
To Get Started
- Type in your search word(s) (no punctuation or capitalization is necessary),
then click on the arrow or press the enter key. - If you have misspelled a word you will be presented with a “Did you mean” question with the correct spelling in a blue link.
Refine Your Search and Locate An Item
- From the facets on the left you can REFINE your search by selecting such
things as the correct format you require (i.e. large print, book on CD, DVD etc.), a particular library, publishing date and more. - To find an item`s location, click on the title.You will see its full catalog record, reviews and a list of the libraries and their call numbers where the
item can be located. - Use ADVANCED Search to create custom searches with more options.
With ADVANCED Search, you can search specifically for movies, or books in Spanish, or things published just in 2014 or many other combinations.
Options
After logging in and once you have found what you are looking for you can request items or drop your items into a cart. Then you can request(place a hold on) what is in your cart or put what is in your cart into a list. (Carts are not saved)
From your account you can:
- View what you have on hold and cancel or freeze a hold.
- View the number of items you have checked out and renew items.
- Modify your personal information:
- You can create an alternate ID for logging in if you cannot remember your library barcode.
- You can update your email address.
- You can opt in to get text notices.
- You can modify your PIN ( by default your PIN is the last four numbers of your library barcode)
- Opt in to view your Reading History going forward. (It you opt back out then it all gets deleted)
- View and manage your lists.
- Events Calendar is not currently available.
You will be contacted when the item you have requested is ready for pick up.
When there is no activity for 10 minutes you will be logged out. Be sure to LOG OUT when you are finished using the catalog.
Phone Renewal System: 1-888-542-7259
To use this service you will need your library barcode number and the library barcode of the book you would like to renew.
Need Help with PrairieCat?
Call (630) 553-4354, stop by any Reference Desk, or email our Circulation Department.
