Interlibrary Loan

You can use your public library as a gateway to obtaining library materials from across the country. If what you need is not available in a Rhode Island public library, the Reference staff of the Newport Public Library can make arrangements to borrow it for you from elsewhere. It usually takes at least two weeks to obtain materials from outside the Ocean State Libraries consortium of Rhode Island public libraries. If you do not know where to find materials you need, ask one of our Reference librarians for help. Email the Reference Desk at info@newportlibraryri.org, or call (401) 847-8720, ext. 208 for more information about this free service.

Other Library Catalogs

If you are interested in trying to find library materials yourself, and our library catalog does not have what you need, you can try one of the catalogs listed below to identify another library that owns what you want. Once you have found a library catalog record, bring it to the Newport Public Library Reference Desk, and we will arrange to get the material delivered to us. This applies to circulating items only. You will then be able to borrow it using your OSL library card. Reference Staff can also search additional library databases not available to the public at this time, if the library catalogs below do not have what you need.

What is Netop?

Netop is the Rhode Island Historical Society's online catalog. Search for books, manuscripts, textiles, maps, newspapers, paintings and more.

What is InRhode?

Search the InRhode Catalog, the shared library catalog of the HELIN Library Consortium, which combines the library resources of eleven academic libraries and fifteen health sciences libraries located in Rhode Island into a single unified database. The InRhode Library Catalog provides access to approximately 6 million volumes, and includes the Josiah Library Catalog from Brown University, with those of the HELIN Library Catalog.

What is RiCat?

Search the RiCat library catalog to find the holdings of sixty eight Rhode Island school libraries in 23 school districts-- elementary, middle and high schools that serve 29% of Rhode Island public school students.

What is the Library of Congress?

Search the online Library of Congress Catalog to gain access to the collections of the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world.

What is WorldCat?

Search the WorldCat database, the world's largest network of library content and services. WorldCat libraries are dedicated to providing access to their resources on the Web, where most people start their search for iinformation. The database contains records to over 1 billion items in more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. After identifying material you are interested in, contact Newport Public Library's Reference Desk to arrange to borrow these materials.