Request Books from MERLIN Libraries

  • The MERLIN Catalog shows books held by the UM campuses: MU, UM-Kansas City, UM-St. Louis, and UM-Rolla.
  • MU Distance Learning students who do not live in central Missouri should review the instructions on our Distance Learning Support Page for Distance Learners.

To determine if a book is available in MERLIN, connect to the MERLIN 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.

  2. Perform your search.

  3. See if a copy is listed as NOT CHECKED OUT in the Status Line.
    • If the location says MU, come to campus and retrieve the item from the stacks and check it out.
    • If the location starts with UMR, UMK, or UMS , then proceed to Step #4 below.

  4. Select the REQUEST button at the bottom of the screen.

  5. Enter your PawPrint and password.

    If your pawprint does not work, enter your name, EMPL ID # and PIN number when prompted.

    • Students: look up your EMPL ID # in myZou
    • Faculty or staff: find your EMPL ID #
      • Enter zero + EMPL ID + c
        Example: 012345678c
    • The first time you REQUEST an Item or VIEW your circulation record in the MERLIN catalog, you will create your own PIN (personal identification number).
      • Use numbers or letters, six or more characters long

  6. When prompted for a location to pick up the book, select Ellis Circulation unless you are affiliated with a branch library.
    • Pick up items as soon as you are notified that they have arrived.
    • Books generally arrive in two or three days.
    • Books may be held for seven days before they must be returned to the lending library.
    • Check online to determine when items are ready to be picked up:
    • Alternately, you may wait to be notified via your MU e-mail account.

  7. Select any MERLIN or MOBIUS Library on the pull down menu as a PICKUP Location and ask that these items be sent to the location selected.
  8. If an item is not held in any of the MERLIN Libraries,