Having problems accessing an online database or journal article? Here are a few common solutions.
Try a different browser such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome. Most of our databases seem to function well in Mozilla Firefox. All of these browsers can be downloaded for free and you can have more than one browser on your computer.
Enable Cookies: You may experience problems if you have not setup your browser to accept cookies.
What are cookies? Certain web sites require the use of "domain-based cookies". A web server named web1.somedb.com might set a cookie and request that it be sent back to any server ending in .somedb.com. Many URL rewriting proxy servers either leave these cookies alone (which destroys their ability to function) or change the cookie so that it is sent back to all virtual web servers (causing cookies to "leak" to the wrong servers). EZproxy handles this situation by storing all domain-based cookies directly on the server as part of the user's session information. (from http://www.usefulutilities.com/support/technical.html)
Enabling Cookies in Microsoft Internet Explorer
High Speed: If you are using high speed Internet services (such as web accelerator programs from NetZero HiSpeed or Juno Speedband), you will need to turn the high speed option off while you are using the library's databases.
Firewall software: If you have a firewall running on your computer, disable it temporarily. If you are unable to access the databases from work some places of employment have their network configured in such a way that you cannot access our databases.
Other errors: If you see any error messages mentioning "EzProxy administrator" or "hostname," please copy the text of the error message and paste it into our Ask a Librarian form.
To access MCC databases off campus, enter your usual school login.
Student Login
Username: first name initial (lower case) + last name initial (lower case) + Full MCC Student ID (located on your student ID card or locate here).
Example: Jane Doe (MCC ID 0120345) would be jd0120345
If you forgot your password, click here.
MCC Faculty and Staff login with their MCC network and email username and password.
If you do not know your login or think that it might be incorrect in the system, please contact Information Systems & Services at 299-8077 or use Remote Help (Bomgar). If Information Systems & Services cannot be reached, please contact the library at 299-8323 for assistance, email the library staff, or contact library personnel via Chat Reference on the library's home page when the library is open.
To Reset Your Password or Unlock Your Account: Information is available here: https://www.mclennan.edu/tech-support/selfservice.html.
University Center students cannot access MCC databases off campus. You will need to contact your university's library to access online resources off campus.
There are 3 reasons why you can't read your article on the computer...
1. You did not limit your results to full text articles. If you don't do this, article abstracts (summaries) will be included in your search results. After you do a search in Discovery Search, Ebscohost or Gale you will see an option to limit your results to full text, if you did not do so at the start of your search.
2. You need to click on the link 
for the PDF Full Text document. It may be on the left side of the page or under the article title in your Search Results list.
3. You need to link out to another full text database or use Full Text Finder. In Discovery Search, Ebscohost, or Gale databases, click on a link in the left margin or within the article record labeled "Full Text Finder," or a similar option provided. From there, you will go to the Full Text Finder page, the library search tool to view print holdings (not available online), another full text database or an online journal site.
If the above solutions don't fit the circumstance, here are four options...
1. Use Interlibrary Loan. You will need to leave enough time for you to obtain the article before your paper is due.
2. Search for the article on the web. Find out if the publisher has made that particular article freely available on the web (sometimes referred to as open access; no fees).
3. Check another library in your area for their periodical print holdings (guests generally cannot use their online databases and journals).
4. Ask a librarian to help you find a similar article.
When accessing the library's website and our research databases from a smart phone or mobile device (anything other than a desktop or laptop), the interfaces are mobile friendly. Most of the MCC Library's research databases, including CQ Press, Ebscohost, Gale databases, and ProQuest have versatile interfaces that work well on PCs and mobile screens OR will revert to a mobile friendly web interface.
PDF Full Text: Depending on the browser app that you utilize, PDF files for full text articles may not display within the web page. You will first need to download the PDF file and then open it with an appropriate reader app.
Some database providers offer apps, but that is rarely necessary since the interfaces work so well in different environments.
