The Commonwealth Catalog is a state-wide network of libraries that share collections through interlibrary loan, giving us access to millions of additional items beyond the FLO consortium. One advantage of Com Cat is that most libraries will share media items such as DVDs, unlike within FLO. Because it includes public libraries, it's also a great source for popular fiction and other types of materials that academic libraries may not carry. Com Cat can also be used to request items that FLO libraries own, but that are currently unavailable (checked out, missing, etc).
Searching and Requesting
If you can't find something you want in the FLO catalog, searching Com Cat should be your next step. You can access it directly from the FLO catalog homepage via the Commonwealth Catalog tab.
As with the FLO catalog, you'll log in with your library barcode and last name. You’ll also need to choose School of the Museum of Fine Arts from the “Select Your Library” menu.
Once logged in, enter your search terms in the box at the top of the screen.
Com Cat works best when you're looking for something specific. You can also conduct general keyword searches, though you may retrieve an overwhelming number of results. These can be filtered using the links on the left side of the results page.
Once you've found the item you want to request, click the cover image. This will take you to a more detailed record, where you can click "Request This Item."
The request form that appears should include your patron account information, and School of the Museum of Fine Arts should be selected as the Borrower. Scroll down to the bottom and click Submit, or click the Submit button in the upper right corner. Each patron may have up to 10 active requests at a time. Note that patron account information cannot be updated in Com Cat. If your name or contact information needs to be changed, contact the Library at 617-369-3650.
If you attempt to request an item this is currently available in FLO, you'll be redirected to the FLO catalog, where you can log in and make a request.
Note that pop-ups must be enabled in your browser for clicking OK to work.
If you receive an error message, please contact Lauren Kimball-Brown for assistance at lkimball-brown@smfa.edu or 617-369-3971.
Back to the Library Homepage