Research Resource: Prospector

If a book, journal, CD, DVD, or other materials are not available at one of the University Libraries, CU faculty, staff, and students have the option to request materials from another library using Prospector. Prospector is a unified library catalog of 25 public, academic, and special libraries in Colorado and Wyoming. When you are using Chinook, the library catalog, look for the Search Prospector to find it in another library button, or you can search Prospector directly at: http://prospector.coalliance.org/. Once you find the item you need, click on the “Request this Item” link and follow the directions for entering institution (UC-Boulder) and your Identikey information. Once the request is processed, the lending library will mail the materials you need to one of the University Libraries at CU.

Using Prospector is a great way to find the materials you need and it is generally faster than recalling a book owned by the University Libraries. Prospector materials are usually processed and delivered within 3-5 business days while a recall for a book that is already checked out can take 10+ days.

Still not finding what you need? In addition to Prospector, the Libraries have an excellent Interlibrary Loan Department that can borrow materials from libraries around the world. Both Prospector and Interlibrary Loan (ILL) are free services provided by the University Libraries. If you have any questions about Prospector, ILL, or finding library materials please Ask Us or contact the Interlibrary Loan Department.