An I-Share account lets you borrow things like books, articles, movies, audio and more that you can't get here. You can get to I-Share from the Books tab on the Library Homepage. This will take you into the WestCat catalog. You can get to it from the Books tab from the WestCat search links.
If you don't find a book in the WestCat Catalog at WIU, try searching for the item in the I- Share Catalog. The I-Share tool searches multiple libraries in the Illinois system. If it is available, you can order it using the My Account features.
1. We don't have it here (after checking WestCat).
2. We have it but its checked out.
3. You need a different edition of a book.
4. You need a broader range of books on the topic.
5. You need a broader range of media types on the topic.
6. The I-Share tool is in WestCat and is easy to find and use.
7. Borrowing with I-Share is FREE!
1. Start by going to wiu.edu/libraries
2. Look for the I-Share link lon the Books tab. Click the I-Share link to connect to the the WestCat catalog to search I-Share.
3. Notice All I-Share Libraries is listed at the right side of the search box. This drop down tells what place gets searched. In this case ALL the I-Share Libraries are searched at once to see if any items match your search words.
4. Log into I-Share by clicking on the word Sign in found in the upper right corner of the page.
5. This will open the WIU Central Sign-on. Enter your Ecom Username and Password.
6. To request an item, perform a search on a topic or title. Click on the full record to see whether the title is available at WIU or another I-Share library. Some titles are for electronic books (E-Books), which are, for the most part, only available to students, faculty and staff at the owning institution. Check the records for that book to see if it is available in print at another library.
7. When you find a book that is available, click the title. The Holdings screen will open. Click on the green button that says Request from I-Share. The system will open a window showing your Preferred Local Pick-up library (WIU or any other I-Share Library), Pick Up Institution (WIU Main Circulation).
8. To request the title, click the Place Request button. The request will be processed and the book will be sent to the library that you chose. Requests normally take 1-2 weeks.
Watch the video clip to see how to search for and request an item using I-Share.