MackinVIA Essentials: eBooks & Databases

-
by Kelli Welch, Teacher Specialist, Office of Library Media

Did you know that MackinVIA is your one-stop shop for eBooks and online databases?

Here are some of your essential questions answered!



How do I access MackinVIA?

Access MackinVIA through Classlink.
MackinVIA will automatically assign students to their school locations.Teachers have the ability to switch between locations using the MackinVIA backpack.


Need to read? Check out an eBook!


How do I access eBooks?

From the MackinVIA homepage, choose the eBook Icon.
All of the eBooks available at a school's location will appear. eBooks are searchable by title, author, or subject.


What do those symbols on the books mean?

A gray icon on a book indicates it is available.
Readers can open the book and begin reading immediately using “Open Now,” or save the book to their MackinVIA backpack using “Checkout.” Choosing the checkout option will place the book in the reader’s MackinVIA backpack for 7 days. If a book does not have a checkout option, it is a multi-user copy and is always available.
A red icon on a book means that it is currently checked out to another borrower.
Readers can view a short preview of the book, or request it.
Once requested, readers get a notification in their MackinVIA backpack when the material becomes available.
A green icon on a book means it is checked out to you.
Readers can read the book using “Open Now,” or return it. Pro tip: eBooks automatically return at the end of the lending period, so readers never need to worry about an overdue eBook.


How do I know what is checked out to me?

View the checkouts area in your backpack. You may have up to 10 books checked out at a time.


What else is in my backpack?

Your backpack contains a record of any titles you have favorited, any notes you have written about titles, and a record of current requests.


Need information? AACPS online databases are a best bet!


How do I access databases?

AACPS online databases are accessed through the databases icon on the homepage.
Databases are good sources of information, because their content is accurate and current.


Do I need a password to access the databases?

No. If you are accessing the databases through MackinVIA, no additional information is required for nearly all of our databases.


What if a database is asking me for a password?

Make sure that you have accessed MackinVIA using ClassLink with your AACPS credentials.


What kind of information is available through our databases?

Our AACPS databases include general information databases such as Britannica School and World Book.

There are also content specific databases, such as CultureGrams for Social Studies, TrueFlix for Science and Social Studies, FactCite Myths for Language Arts, and Financial Literacy for math (MS&HS). 

Who should I ask if I’m not sure what database to use?

Your school’s library media specialist is a great resource to ask about our online databases.


What are some other features of our databases?

Most AACPS databases have accessibility features such as screen readers and translation tools. Most databases also have built in citation tools, making it easy to give proper credit to your sources.

Popular Posts

Book Studies in Brightspace

-
Image
By Melissa Connelly, Behavior Specialist & Brightspace Campus Champion at Belle Grove Elementary, and Stacy Langhirt, 1st grade teacher and former eCoach, Severna Park Elementary Books clubs about technology, really? Yes! It was an awesome experience. When asked to facilitate a class during the summer of 2021, feeling a little burned out on technology we asked if we could try something new. Guess what the answer was a  resounding, YES. That is how a five week technology book study came to be using our new LMS, Brightspace. Facilitating a book study about tools and technology that we have available to us everyday and that our students are familiar with just made so much sense. We were able to share a wonderful text, Eric Curts' Control Alt Achieve: Rebooting your Classroom with Creative Google Projects ,  that was rich with ideas on using Google Workspace for Education in the classroom and we had conversations centered around those ideas that helped all of us to grow as e...
Read more

Computational Thinking: Its really not that scary!

-
Image
By Kerri Lambert, Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist Computational thinking. It’s one of those current, hot educational phrases that leaves most teachers scratching their heads and thinking, “Does this really apply to me?” Especially when most articles and books stress its relationship and importance to computer science.  However, the more I read, the more I’m convinced that computational thinking extends to all content at all grade levels. After all, at its most basic, computational thinking is all about the process of problem solving. And let’s face it, that’s something we all do, all day long!  So what exactly IS computational thinking? By definition, computational thinking is the process of breaking down complex problems down into parts, recognizing patterns, and devising a solution. It has four pillars or processes: Broken down into the processes, computational thinking seems a lot less intimidating. I mean, even cleaning the house can be broken down into comp...
Read more

Who to Follow on Social Media

-
Image
by Kerri Lambert, Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist In OIT, we are often asked how we learn “all this stuff” and how do we keep up with all the changes across our platforms. There are several ways, but one of our favorite ways is to peruse Twitter when we have a moment. This allows us to get information from one place and in the small snippets of time- and it doesn’t fill up our inboxes! If you are on Twitter and looking for people to follow, here are a few that we recommend. It’s no secret that OIT supports a variety of instructional applications and yes, sometimes it can feel overwhelming! But, many of the programs we subscribe to are active on Twitter. Not only do they tweet out updates or upcoming features, but also showcase ways educators across the country are using their products with students. This is also a great way to find out about learning opportunities such as webinars or conferences. Following the companies gives you the best of both worlds- updates and inspir...
Read more