Access Resources from Home  

Off-Campus Access to Library Resources

Only current MCLA students, faculty, and staff have remote-access privileges to MCLA-licensed library resources. Follow the steps below to access electronic resources from off-campus.

Step 1: Activate your MCLANET account

The same information you use to access your FirstClass email account is used to access electronic resources from off-campus.

The TechHelp.mcla.edu page has information on activating your account.

Please contact TechHelp helpdesk@mcla.edu if you have forgotten your username, password, or both.



Step 2: Use links on the library web pages.

Links on the library web pages (including links found in the library catalog and those on the Journals A-Z page) are proxied. When clicking on a proxied link for the first time in the session, remote users are prompted for their username and password. One successful login establishes access to most MCLA-licensed resources.

Links not obtained from the library web pages are, most likely, not proxied and will not recognize you as affiliated with MCLA. Therefore, always start on library webpages when working remotely.


Step 3 (Optional): Get an ecard from the Boston Public Library

BPL eCards are virtual library cards that allow users immediate entry to all of Boston Public Library's remotely-accessible electronic resources, including magazine databases, downloadable audio, video, eBooks, and music.

Students living in Massachusetts while attending school are eligible for a card. Go to the BPL's eCard site to sign up for one.

Save your ecard number and PIN on your computer for quick access.



Step 4 (Optional): Configure Google Scholar.

If you use Google Scholar, you can configure it to have the Full-Text @ MCLA links appear off-campus by changing your Scholar Preferences.

First time off-campus users of Google Scholar should go to the main Google Scholar page and click on the "Settings" link on the upper right hand side of the screen. In the "Library Links" section do a search for MCLA to set up a link to our library. Articles that we own in our databases will then be linked to within your search results in Google.

Please read this important information about Google Scholar and the limitations with searching it.

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