Get Books from MERLIN/MOBIUS Member Libraries

The MERLIN/MOBIUS Library Catalog can show books held at the Kansas City, Rolla and St. Louis campuses of the University of Missouri as well as Saint Louis University and other Missouri institutions participating in the MOBIUS consortium.  Books available at these campuses can, in most instances, be borrowed by MU faculty, staff and students. 

• To determine if a book is available in MERLIN, connect to the MERLIN Library Catalog, and then do the following:
  
  1. Select ALL MERLIN Library Collections in the drop-down box in the MERLIN Library Catalog to locate your book.
     • Or try book finder to look for a specific book
  2. See if a copy is listed as NOT CHECKED OUT in the status line.
  3. Select REQUEST THIS ITEM at the bottom of the screen.
  4. Enter your name
  5. If a student, enter the following:
     • Social security number (without dashes) + c.  (Example: 333445555c)
     • Pin number (MERLIN only)
  6. If MU faculty or staff, please enter:
     • Employee ID number (EMPL ID) with an extra zero at the beginning and a c (for Columbia campus) at the end.  (011112222c)
       • No spaces or dashes in this number.
       • Look up your employee ID number - directions here.
     • Pin number.
       • If this is the first time you have requested a book, you will create a PIN (any combination of letters or numbers over four characters long).
       • The first time you enter your PIN you will be asked to enter it again to ensure you typed it correctly.
  7. Select location to pick up the book. 

     Select Ellis Circulation unless you are affiliated with a branch library and wish to pick the book up at that location.

  8. These books often arrive within three to five days.
     
     
• To determine if a book is available in MOBIUS, connect to the MOBIUS UNION Catalog, and then do the following:
  1. If the book you need is not held by any of the MERLIN Libraries or all of the copies are checked out, please select the MOBIUS UNION Catalog button at the top of the page and re-create your search.
  2. If a copy is available in a MOBIUS Library, choose REQUEST THIS ITEM and follow the instructions on the screens that follow.
  3. Choose the place you want to pick up the item when asked to select a PICKUP LOCATION.
     • You may now choose any MOBIUS Library on the pull down menu as a PICKUP LOCATION.
     • If you are a distance learning student, a faculty or staff member working at an extension site or away from your home library for an extended period, please choose the nearest MOBIUS Library on the pull down menu as the PICKUP LOCATION
     • The books you request will be sent to that library for your convenience.
  4. An email note sent to your MU email account will notify you when the item is ready to be picked up. Most books requested from MOBIUS arrive in 2-3 days and can only be held for 7 days before they must be sent back to the lending library so please be sure you will be available to pick them up as soon as they arrive.
  5. Journal articles and some other items held by MOBIUS Libraries may not be requested online from the catalog in the manner described above. Please go to ILL@MU to request journal articles and any other item that was denied in either MERLIN or MOBIUS.