A New Version of PittCat is Coming Soon

On July 28, 2020, the University will be replacing its more than 20-year-old library catalog. HSLS’s current online catalog, PITTCat for the Health Sciences, along with the University Library System’s (ULS) PITTCat Classic and PITTCat+, will be retired and replaced with a new library discovery service powered by Ex Libris Primo VE. To make the transition easier, the new PittCat will combine both PITTCat+ and PITTCat Classic into one and will be shared between HSLS, ULS, and the Barco Law Library.

The updated PittCat offers a powerful, intuitive search, and unique tools for discovery of content and ideas, as well as streamlined ways to get the material you need, when you need it, in formats that are right for you. In addition to searching the almost 6 million titles in the libraries’ catalogs, this new service will allow patrons to search for millions of full-text articles in subscribed electronic resources, with the ability to limit results to peer-reviewed or open access content, and to filter by publication date, journal, and author.

Patrons will be able to personalize their search experience by choosing preferred academic disciplines to get more relevant results from searches for keywords that might be used in different ways in unrelated fields.

Researchers can stay current with the latest publications in their field by subscribing to e-mail updates of changes to their saved searches, and citations can easily be e-mailed or exported in formats compatible with popular citation management software.

To ease the transition, HSLS, ULS, and the Barco Law Library will be hosting training sessions, both public and internal for faculty and staff in the fall.

Leading up to the launch of the new PittCat, you can stay informed by:

  • Visiting newpittcat.pitt.edu for updates, a list of training opportunities and events, and more.
  • Looking out for an e-mail from HSLS later this summer with information about group or one-on-one training.

~Geoffrey Spear and Marissa Spade