>Search the Oakton Library Catalog collection of physical books, e-books, articles, streaming videos, and more.
Borrow e-books, audio books, and streaming videos through the NILRC Overdrive Consortium collection on Overdrive. Set up your personal account using your MyOakton login. You can also download Libby to access Overdrive on your device (You can also use Libby to borrow books from your public library).
Search the eRead Illinois collection of over 24,000 e-books. They can be accessed on your device or computer with the Boundless app.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: eRead Illinois user accounts were updated in August 2023. If you are missing checkouts, holds, or checkout history from your old account and would like them restored, please contact Rebecca Eaton at reaton@oakton.edu for assistance.
The Oakton EBSCO eBook collection includes a variety of non-fiction e-books on research topics as well as fiction classics. Search the collection using keywords or click on the "eBooks" link on the blue menu bar to browse the entire collection.
All Oakton EBSCO eBooks can be read online via a web browser or in the ePUB format. Some e-books can be downloaded to Adobe PDF format. Use your "MyOakton" login for access.
This collection contains over 4,000 full-text e-books from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) about various world cultures, religions, history, and more.
This collection contains e-books about history, science, careers, literature, finance, politics, and social science.
Select "BiblioBoard Library of Illinois" on the BiblioBoard website to access the RAILS e-content collection available to anyone living in Illinois. You can browse curated collections on a variety of subjects. One recommended collection is their Scholarly Resources Collection.
Search the CARLI I-Share Catalog collection of over 7 million books in over 80 Illinois academic libraries. Please refer to the I-Share Resource Sharing Code for our resource sharing policies. To see individual catalogs for each institution, use the I-Share Libraries selection page.
Search the OCLC WorldCat collection to find books in libraries around the world.
To request an item, click "Borrow this item from another library" in the title information and submit a request or visit the circulation desk at either campus.
If you cannot find the item you are looking for in our catalog, e-book collections, or databases, you can request it from other libraries. Simply fill out our ILL Request Form.
The library catalog is the place to find items held at Oakton College. You can search for books, films, kits, journals, articles, and more, by title, author, subject, keyword, ISBN, or ISSN. You Must Have a Current Library Card To Borrow Books
Access our printable handout for sample screen images that correspond with the explanation.
The Oakton Library Catalog offers two ways to look for books: simple search and advanced search.
First, navigate to the catalog. From the homepage, click on the Search Our Catalog link.
Special Note: If you are looking for something that an instructor put on reserve, check out Course Reserves.
Enter the words needed to identify the item you are looking for in the search box.
Search by keyword: Enter words that identify the item or information you need in the search box.
Click the magnifying glass or press enter to begin your search.
In advanced search, you are provided with two search term lines that you can separately customize for the search. You can use the drop down menus to change the search filters to better fit your search. You can change any field (i.e. anywhere in the record) to title, author/creator, subject, ISBN, or ISSN fields. These drop down menus are located before the search term lines.
Another set of drop down menus lets you combine your search terms. Combine search terms using:
Next to the search lines are additional options for refining your search. You can limit to:
The results list shows you the title, author, publication date, and whether or not a particular item is available.
To find the most recently published books, change the Sort By option to “Date-newest.”
You can also narrow your search with the facets on the left hand side of the screen. The search can be limited by:
When you click on an item in the list, it directs you to its item record. Below the title, author, and publication date is the item’s availability.
There are a number of options below the item description.
In the “Send to” section, there are a variety of options. Some include:
The “Location Items” section lists the campus currently holding this book.
The “Virtual Browse” section shows the items located next to the one you are looking at. These items frequently are on the same topic.
Online Help: Ask a Librarian
Email the Library: renewlib@oakton.edu
Reference Desk Phone Number: 847.635.1644
If the book that you need is at Oakton's other campus either Des Plaines or Skokie you can have it sent to the location that is more convenient for you.
You Must Have a Current Library Card To Borrow Books
Access our printable handout (PDF) (646 KB) for sample screen images that correspond with the explanation.
You must be logged in before you can access the requesting options. Therefore, it is a good idea to login each time you search our catalog.
Click the "Sign In" button in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
Credit Students and Employees:
Non-Credit Students:
Type your keywords or title into the search box. As you type, a pop-up menu will appear which will give you options to search through the Library Catalog, Articles, EBSCO Articles, Course Reserves, All I-Share Libraries, and Everything.
Because you are searching for a book at Oakton, select “Library Catalog”. Click the magnifying glass or press enter to start your search.
The results list shows you the title, author, publication date, and whether or not the item is available.
To find the most recently published books, change the Sort by option to “Date-newest.”
You can also narrow your search by selecting options on the left hand side of the screen under “Tweak your results.” The search can be limited by:
View the item you wish to order by clicking the title.
While viewing the item record, the Get It section will show which campus(es) own the book. Campus location will be listed below. Make sure there is one item listed as available, then click “Request” in the REQUEST section.
A form will pop up, directing you to select the Pickup Institution and the Pickup Location. Choose “Oakton College (OAK)—Skokie, IL and Des Plaines, IL” for the Institution. Select the campus you where you want your item sent, either “Oakton, Des Plaines,” or “Oakton, Skokie,” for the Pickup Location.
Then click “SEND REQUEST.”
Once you are finished, always click your name, and then click "Sign out" from the upper right hand corner and close your browser when you are finished.
If Oakton does not have the item that you want, you can quickly check over 80 other college and university libraries throughout Illinois. When you find what you need, have it sent to Oakton to pick up by following the easy steps below.
Access our printable handout (PDF) (440KB) for sample screen images that correspond with the explanation.
You must be a current student or employee to order items.
You must be logged in before you can access the requesting options. Therefore, it is a good idea to log in each time you search I-Share.
Click the "Sign In" button in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Select "Oakton College Users" from the screen that pops up. Then enter your MyOakton username and password.
Type your keywords into the search box. As you type, a pop-up menu will appear, which will give you options to search through Library Catalog, Articles, EBSCO Articles, Course Reserves, All I-Share Libraries, and Everything.
Because you are searching for a an item Oakton does not have, either select “All I-Share Libraries” from the pop-up menu, or select it from the drop-down menu beside the search bar.
Click the magnifying glass or press enter to start your search.
A list will display of items matching your search. This results list shows you the title, author, publication date, and item availability. Click on the item you want to check out to view the item record.
To find the most recently published books, change the Sort By option to “Date-newest.”
You can also narrow your search by selecting options on the left hand side of the screen under Tweak your results. The search can be limited by:
The How to Get It section will show a list of libraries that own the item, and whether or not the item is available. Make sure the item is available, and click on the “I-Share” tab to request it.
A form will appear, which you need to fill out with the appropriate information.
Select the Preferred Pickup Institution: Oakton College (OAK) – Skokie, IL and Des Plaines, IL
Once you are finished, always click your name, and then click "Sign out" from the upper right hand corner and close your browser when you are finished.
If you receive a courtesy notice that an item you borrowed is due soon, you can renew the item yourself in our catalog. You can renew most items up to three times before they must be returned to the library
Access our printable handout (PDF) (458 KB) for sample screen images that correspond with the explanation.
Start at the Login screen in the library catalog.
Click “Sign in,” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
Credit Students and Employees:
Non-Credit Students:
Always exit your account by selecting your name in the upper right-hand corner, and then selecting “Sign Out.”
You can search the WorldCat collection to find books not owned by Oakton or I-share. This collection allows you to request items from anywhere in the United States (Oakton currently does not borrow items from outside of the United States).
You must have a current library card to order items.
Access our printable handout for sample screen images that correspond with the explanation.
First, navigate to the catalog.
Enter keywords in the main search field.
Select Search.
By default, you see all the results.
Select the title you wish to view. This takes you to the detailed item record.
The detailed item record provides additional information such as the ISBN and a brief synopsis of the work.
To request the item, select Borrow this item from another library from the detailed item record.
Fill out the request form.
Click Submit.
Upon successful completion of the request form, a green message appears at the top of the page and you will be returned to the item record.
Your request has been sent. It may take up to 2 weeks for the physical item to arrive at the campus of your choice.