REGIONAL CATALOG:
Regional Catalog
Merlin is the shared catalog of NWLS member libraries. With a library card patrons can directly request, renew, and can check the status of items either checked out or on hold.
Reference Databases
Ancestry Library Edition is an extensive library genealogy research tool. Access is limited to in-library use at any NWLS library. Bookmarks are available. Ancestry Library Edition bookmarks as well as promotional and training materials are available.
Auto Repair Reference Center - The step-by-step procedures are written specifically for the auto repair do-it-yourselfer, but comprehensive enough for professional technicians. Auto Repair Reference Center contains information on most major manufacturers of domestic and imported vehicles, with repair information for most vintage makes starting as far back as 1954.
AskAway is a virtual reference service to use when you need information.
An online chat form connects to a qualified reference librarian any time of day, seven days a week. Bookmarks are available.
BadgerLink contains thousands of newspaper and periodical titles, image files, and other reference materials. EBSCO (BadgerLink) offers over 6,000 magazine and journal titles, over half of which are available in full-text, and an online support center. BadgerLink, available to everyone in Wisconsin without a password, is a project of the Department of Public Instruction's Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning for the citizens of Wisconsin. Funding is provided through the Public Service Commission Universal Service Fund. BadgerLink promotional materials are available.
Consumer Health Complete provides user-friendly acces to content covering all areas of health and wellness. It includes more than 200 health reference books and encyclopedias, thousands of health reports, drug evaluation sheets, videos, pamphlets and other documents. This database is available through BadgerLink in the EBSCO section.
MasterFILE Premier is a database designed specifically for public libraries, providing full text for nearly 1,700 general reference publications with full text information dating as far back as 1975. It covers virtually every subject area of general interest and is available through BadgerLink in the Database List.
NetLibrary provides a collection of ebooks, such as reference, nonfiction and fiction books that can be checked out and read on a home computer. The titles available through NetLibrary are listed in the Merlin Catalog. Contact your nearest NWLS library to set up a free account. A featured list of ebooks is available from the Merlin homepage. NetLibrary also provides promotional materials and training tools.
Novelist is a readers' advisory database that includes over 150,000 fiction titles, and over 4000 custom created articles and lists. Readers can access Feature Articles, BookTalks, and Book Discussion Guides along with Author Read-alikes, Readers' Advisory training content and a variety of other reader materials. This database is available through BadgerLink in the EBSCO section.
Novelist K-8 is a readers' advisory database for grades K-8. Access a collection of titles, BookTalks, Recommended Reads book lists and more. Librarians, school media specialists, teachers and parents interested in helping kids locate age-appropriate books in the library will appreciate the features and depth of content. This database is available through BadgerLink in the EBSCO section.
OverDrive offers audiobook, video and music titles that can be downloaded directly to a computer, an iPod or MP3 player or burned to a CD. A valid Merlin card number is necessary for checkout and placing holds.
WISCAT is the Wisconsin library catalog that can be browsed when the Merlin catalog doesn't have what you're looking for. Contact your librarian to request items from WISCAT.
WorldCat is a worldwide catalog of library collections that includes more than 67 million bibliographic records with items in many different formats. Patrons can access this database at any library or at home with a user-friendly search page.
