I dunno, JIK, I just did a Google search for the terms "library catalog" (no ""s) and hit Hytelnet, the Library of Congress's Z39.50 gateway, and a TON of other such sites. All of them directed me to a library catalog or list of catalogs (catalography?).

But as a librarian, I agree: ya gotta git out and go to where the info is. The WWW is a great tool, but it, like so many other things, is not a solution per se.