Have you Gone Prospecting Lately?
Georgia Briscoe

If library users in the State of Colorado were prospectors searching for nuggets of gold, they would most likely each discover valuable treasure. This is because they are now able to mine a new online union catalog of Colorado libraries. Appropriately named Prospector, this online catalog is a goldmine waiting to be probed. It includes holdings of sixteen academic, public and special libraries in Colorado and Wyoming. Through Prospector patrons have access to over 10 million books, journals, sound recordings, films, videotapes and other materials held in these libraries. Both The University of Colorado Law Library and the University of Denver Law Library are included in Prospector. Users can connect to Prospector through either of these law library catalogs, or through some public libraries. The website for Prospector is: http://prospector.coalliance.org/screens/mainmenu.html.

Most importantly, Prospector allows users to easily request their precious gems with just a few keystrokes. When they find what they want, they simply choose the "Request Item" option and follow the instructions on the screen. Requests will be processed within a few days and the item will be delivered to their local "home" library. A home library is a Prospector library where a patron is registered. For many of you, this will be the local branch of your public library, or your academic library. If your public library is not yet part of Prospector, you may register at CU Law Library.

Prospector can be searched by author, title, keyword, subject, OCLC number, ISS/BN, SuDoc and many other access points. Additional bibliographic records are being loaded daily into this central database. The system is continuously updated from each local library catalog over the Internet and shows current circulation status, local call numbers and summary journal holdings information.

The system allows you to borrow most items that already circulate at local libraries. The general policies which apply to materials delivered through Prospector include: 21 day loan period, 1 renewal, Up to 40 requests/check-outs per person, $100 will be charged for lost books ($75 lost book fee plus $25 processing charge), Overdue fines will be the same as at your local library (the library whose card you used to check-out the item). If all copies of materials are checked-out, a hold may be placed although books may not be recalled. While most of the primary legal resources of Prospector libraries are non-circulating, this new union catalog is a goldmine just waiting for law librarians to prospect.