If the item you want is not available through the Libraries online catalog, current CU faculty, staff and students may place requests through the Prospector and MOBIUS online catalogs. 

Prospector is a group of regional libraries, which gives you access to 32 million books, journals, DVDs, CDs, videos and other materials. If what you want isn’t available in Prospector, you may be able to find it in Prospector’s partner catalog MOBIUS, a consortium of Missouri libraries. MOBIUS gives you access to an additional 27 million items. Look for the link within Prospector to access the MOBIUS catalog.

Requesting materials

We’ll try to obtain any type of library material. However textbooks, whole journal volumes, genealogical sources, unpublished manuscripts, and materials that are rare, fragile or in high demand are often hard to get. You may request up to 70 items at any one time. Prospector requests generally take around five working days to arrive. MOBIUS requests may take up to 2 weeks to arrive. 

Placing requests

  1. First, check the Library Catalog. 
  2. If you can’t find what you need, look for the small Prospector icon in the Library Catalog. By clicking on this icon, you can replicate your search in Prospector. 
  3. When you find what you want, choose the "Request Item" option and follow the instructions on the screen.
  4. If all copies of materials are checked out, a hold may be placed, although books may not be recalled.
  5. Select a pick-up location (Norlin or a branch library, more information below).

Retrieving and returning materials 

Materials may be picked up or returned at any of the University Libraries’ five on-campus locations: Business Library, Earth Sciences and Map Library, Gemmill Library, Music Library or Norlin Library. You may also request items to be picked up on the East campus (SEEC C215, Bartlett Center). Learn more about hold pickup and campus mail delivery.

Please don’t return items directly to the lending institution. Learn more about return locations.

Fines and fees may apply for overdue and lost materials. See our circulation policies for detailed information.

Contact us

Questions? We are glad to help. Please contact us via our Ask A Librarian services (IM, text, consultation) or email us directly at libraries@colorado.edu.