Start with our catalog to see if items you want are here in the library. The system defaults to searching the Madison - Scranton Memorial Library catalog first.
The Scranton Library is part of the LION consortium, which consists of more than twenty area libraries.
If you can't find what you want in the Scranton Catalog, try searching the other LION libraries. Under Select Collection, use the pull-down menu to choose Search All LION Libraries.
To put a hold on any LION book:
1) Next to your selected title, click on the REQUEST/HOLD button.
2) Type in your LAST NAME, then your PATRON ID NUMBER (library barcode number) in the boxes provided.
3) Select your Pickup Location (Scranton Library, or LION library of your choice).
4) Click on SUBMIT. You will be notified when your book arrives.
Note: Not all Scranton items are available for holds. For example, the Scranton Library allows only Madison residents to place holds on DVDs and videos.
If you give us your e-mail address, you can be notified by e-mail when items you request are here for you. The next time you are at the Circulation Desk, feel free to provide us with this information.
This is the state library catalog, which lists the holdings of most Connecticut public and academic libraries, including the State Library. Search reQuest when you need to look for an item beyond the LION consortium. For a list of all Connecticut public libraries (many with direct catalog links), click here.
Note: Through reQuest, you can search either the reQuest Main Catalog (books, videos, etc.) or the reQuest Magazine Catalog. In addition to these two catalogs, you might want to search the libraries in the CTW Consortium (Connecticut College, Trinity, and Wesleyan), Yale University, or WorldCat (a catalog of libraries worldwide). Just click a check mark in the box next to the catalog(s) you want to search.
Connecticut public libraries honor public library cards from all Connecticut towns for any state resident. So remember to carry your Scranton Library card with you if you travel out of Madison to check out a book from another library.
If you find a book you want in the reQuest Main Catalog (and it is not in our LION catalog), you can try to order the item yourself via Interlibrary Loan. Here's how:
1) Click on the title you want.
2) Look toward the bottom of the record for the names of libraries that have the words ILL Lender next to them. If you don't find any libraries that are lenders, you will not be able to order the item this way. In that case, contact the Scranton Library's Interlibrary Loan Department, and we will try to order the item via another avenue.
3) If at least one library is an ILL Lender, go to the top of the record and click on the green Request This Item button.
4) On the next screen that comes up, fill in the items required in red, click on Submit, and you're done. We will contact you when the item arrives, or if we have trouble getting it.
If all your searches in LION and reQuest fall short, don't despair! Call the library at (203) 245-7365 so our Interlibrary Loan department can search further.
CTW Consortium: Connecticut College, Trinity College, Wesleyan University
University of Connecticut Libraries
The Connecticut State University Library System (CONSULS). Includes the Connecticut State Library, Eastern, Western, Central, and Southern Connecticut State University libraries.
Library of Congress. The library of the American people.
LibDex. Links to over 7,700 web pages from over 146 libraries around the world.
LibWeb. An international index of libraries. Search by name or country.
WorldCat. Search the world's catalogs in one easy step!
Google Book Search. Read or search the full text of books that Google has digitized from many of the world's library collections. If the item is in the public domain, you may download a PDF version of the book.
University Digital Library: Million Book Collection. The Herculean yet noble project of Carnegie-Mellon University, whose "primary long-term objective is to capture all books in digital format," thereby creating a true people's university.