Welcome to the Media Center
Where To Go When You Need To Know!
Check out these resources!
With over 12,000 books
and access to many online research databases, your school
library media center is the place to go when you need information for any
assignment or research project.
You can work from home!
To access documents in your school U: drive, click
here for
Windows and Mac instructions.
A reference library at your fingertips!
Just read the directions below, and then click on one of
the great reference sites to find the facts you need to know. Many
include language translation and audio. A reference library at your
fingertips! All of these
resources and more are also available on :
Mrs.Sims eboard
http://mediacms.portage.site.eboard.com
To Use PPS Online Research Databases from Home:
1. Get your parents’ permission to access the Internet.
2. Choose a research database (below) and click on its name (blue link).
3. To log-in, type the log-in names and passwords exactly as shown on the
hand-out provided by your language arts teacher (also available in the media
center).
4. Only Portage Public School students may use our passwords.
Proquest
SIRS Knowledge Source –
Magazine and Newspaper Articles, Government Publications, and Excellent
Research Tools for Social Issues and Controversies
Log in. Select SIRS Issues Researcher, Renaissance, or
Discoverer.
Proquest
eLibrary Curriculum –
Encyclopedias, Almanacs, Magazines, Pictures, Maps, TV and Radio News
1. Log in.
2. Follow instructions on the screen.
Student Resource Center
Junior – Biographies, Author Information, Literary Criticism, Multimedia
1. Log in.
2. Follow instructions on the screen.
Grolier Encyclopedia - Encyclopedia Americana, Grolier
Multimedia Encyclopedia,
The New
Book of Knowledge, Lands and Peoples
1. Follow instructions on the screen.
NetTrekker –
Current, Accurate, Highly Recommended, Educational Web Sites
1. In the upper right corner, click on: log in
2. Carry out your search, or use subject guides to find web sites.
Portage District Library -
Online Article Search
1. Log-in: Use your Portage Library card number for a user
name.
2. PIN: Last 4 digits of phone number you had when you got your card.
3. Click on: Article Search
4. Select a database and click on the link.
Ask Any Research Question –
Get an email answer in 30 minutes (during library hours).
To email your question, click on the “Ask Any” link above
or call 329-4544.
Michigan Electronic
Library –
Free Research Databases for All Michigan Residents
Click on the link above, choose MEL Databases, and then the
database you want. Suggestions include:
CultureGrams
(choose World Edition) Geography, Government and Culture of
Countries and States, Flags, National Anthems, Sound Recordings, Native
Dishes.
eLibrary, elibrary Elementary,
General Reference Center Gold, Health and Wellness Resource Center, InfoTrac
Junior, InfoTrac Student, InfoTrac
Newsstand, Opposing Viewpoints in
Context and
SIRS Discoverer Deluxe.
If the database requires a log-in, you have three choices:
1. Use your Portage District Library card number to log-in.
- Select: Portage District Library
- Enter your Portage District Library card number.
2. With your parent’s or guardian’s permission, use their
driver’s license number to log-in.
3. Go to http://www.mel.org/ and click on Kids, Teens, Reference Desk, or
other links to free databases (no log-in).
The Homework
Spot
Help with middle school subjects. No log-in. Click on a
link. English, Fine Arts, Foreign
Languages, Health/Fitness, Math, Science, Social Studies, Technology
Citation Machine-
Create easy citations in MLA format.
1. Click on MLS or APA, then click on SUBMIT.
2. Click on the type of resource (book, article, etc.) you want to cite.
3. Fill out the form. Click on SUBMIT.
Atomic
Learning Get
help with software applications and technology.
Watch tutorials, read instructions and experiment with different
programs.