PCC Library Blog

The Films on Demand database includes some titles produced by UNC TV. 

To find them . . .

1. Go to the Films on Demand database via PCC Library's databases page. Log in with your myPittCC credentials. 
2. From the Films on Demand homepage, click Advanced Search.
3. Under Select Type of Content, use the drop down menu to select Custom Videos.
4. In the Choose Filters section, use the Producers drop down menu to select UNC TV.
5. Click the Search button.

PCC instructors can now provide easier online access to high school, continuing education, or other types of students in their areas needing to study and prepare for things like the GED, TEAS, HiSET, ACCUPLACER, EMT, CDL, ASVAB, CLEP, ACT, SAT, NCLEX-RN . . . and so many more.

The Library can provide you with a custom link (or set of links) that you can pass along to your students, leading them to the exact tutorial, practice test, etc. that you want them to complete with fewer steps.

For example . . .

Students in a Pharmacy Technician class through Con Ed, can be sent a custom link (or set of links) from their instructor that allows them to directly access very specific modules. The student clicks the link and is taken directly to the login page for a specific practice test, tutorial, learning center, etc.

How is this better?

The custom links remove the extra steps of having to click the database link, login through the proxy via myPittCC (or with a generic proxy username/password), then spend time searching the database and sifting through the various results to find the exact test or tutorial that they need. 

Why create an account?

Personal accounts make it so you can save your progress and return to finish later. The first step is to click "Sign In or Register to Begin." To create an account, enter a valid e-mail address and create a password. A student ID and course number are NOT required and the e-mail does not have to be one from PCC. Next time, just sign in and pick up where you left off.

Try it!

Here are just a few examples of custom links that do not require you to login via the usual Library Online Database Access page, so that you can see how it works. 

• ExCPT Practice Test 2
• Cosmetology Practice Exam 1
• TEAS Mathematics Practice Test 1
• Skeletal System Game
• Career Prep Center: Build Workplace Skills
• Core English Skills Center

There are literally thousands of individual tests, tutorials, study materials, and learning centers for which we can provide custom links. To see what's available, click the PrepSTEP link below, and when prompted, login to myPittCC. Create your own personal account to take tests, access tutorials, etc. 

We can create the links for you, or we can show you how to do it on your own. Contact Angela Davis (asdavis688@my.pittcc.edu) to get started. 

What Is Open Education Week?

Open Education Week is a celebration of the global Open Education Movement. Its purpose is to raise awareness about the movement and its impact on teaching and learning worldwide.

How can we celebrate? Learn & Share!

Attend one of the many free online OE Week events that are taking place all over the globe, of which quite a few are being presented by or for community and technical colleges, or attend a session right here at PCC. You could also try searching for openly licensed materials that are available in your subject area.

Find something neat? Tell us!

List any interesting articles, infographics, textbooks, videos, courses, etc. that you come across. Simply add it to the PCC OE Week Padlet. Click the + [plus] icon to add your post (see the preview below). Feel free to comment on the posts that are already there and start a conversation!. I've found a lot of new things in the past few days and I'm eager to see what you guys will add.

Other ways to celebrate can include reading the latest issue of the OER Digest or go over to the CCCOER website for news and webinars, or visit SPARC and take a deep dive into Open Access, Open Education, and Open Data.

Happy searching...and learning!

Sincerely,
Angela Davis
PCC Instruction & Web Services Librarian and NCCCLA OER Task Force Chairperson
asdavis688@my.pittcc.edu | (252) 493-7366

By setting up Library Links, you can access research articles licensed by PCC Library while using Google Scholar.

Go to Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com

If you have a Google account, go ahead and sign in. This way, you will always have your Library Link connected no matter where you log in to Google.

Click the sandwich menu in the top left.

From the drop-down menu, choose Settings.

From the Settings menu, choose Library Links.

In the search box under Show library access links for… type Pitt Community College.

Click the Search button.

Click to check the box next to Pitt Community College - Full-Text @ My Library.

You may also see options for PITT COMMUNITY COLLEGE-ProQuest Fulltext and/or Open WorldCat. You may check all three, but it is not necessary.

Click Save.

When you log in to your Google account and search Google Scholar, you will see Full-Text @ My Library along with other links out to the sides of articles. 

To access the article, click one of the links out to the side (there may be more than one way to access an article). 

When you see . . .

• No link out to the side - You can submit an Interlibrary Loan request and we will try to find access via another library

• [PDF] URL from a school (.edu) or other website (.org, .com, etc.) - Click to open the article

• ProQuest Fulltext - Available in one of PCC's ProQuest databases; Click the link, login to mypittCC, get the article

• Full-Text @ My Library - Available in one of PCC Library's databases; Click the link, login to mypittCC, get the article

NOTE: When you click a link that goes to content available via a Library database, you will be prompted to login to myPittCC before you can access the article.

If you have questions, or come across an article with a Full-Text @ My Library link that doesn’t actually take you to the article, please contact Angela Davis, PCC Librarian, at asdavis688@my.pittcc.edu

Updated: 5/30/2024 ASD