A union catalog is a collection of records that represent the holdings of several different libraries. In the world of library science, many terms are used interchangeably with "union catalog," including consolidated catalog, merged catalog, integrated catalog, and collective catalog. Likewise, the term shared catalog is sometimes used to describe a similar concept, but instead of being created by multiple libraries, it's often built as a collaboration between multiple departments or institutions within a single organization. Additionally, some cataloging experts also use the terms combined catalog or cooperative cataloging to refer to union catalogs. Regardless of what term is used, the goal of a union catalog is always to provide more comprehensive access to library materials than any one organization could provide on its own.