App makes access to online database easier

Apple's new App Access My Library

With the new Access My Library app, students can now check information on the Saratoga High’s online database from their iPhones, iPads and iTouch devices.

Having an online database with filtered information helps students to retrieve knowledge from reliable sources. Now students can log onto the school’s database from anywhere.

“As everyone knows information is becoming digital at an ever increasing rate,” librarian Kevin Heyman said. “One important sources of scholarly information is online databases.”

Heyman, registered the school’s library database for the App by contacting Gale, the provider of most of the school’s databases, and requesting access.

Gale created the “Access My Library” app. It is available for students and staff to download on the Apple App Store for free. The password to the online database only has to be entered in when using the new app.

“It’s important to provide students with as many options as possible when it comes to accessing high quality, academic information,” Heyman said. “Having an app provides students with one more access point to the library’s databases.”

“Students already have 24/7 access to the databases from any computer,” Heyman said. “The App makes it possible to connect to the Saratoga High School Library’s databases from anywhere.”

One of the first people to download the app is teacher Jeffrey Scott. He first heard about this app when Heyman e-mailed the staff about its release.

“It is much easier than having to go through the library website,” said Scott.

With the addition of this new app, Scott is debating whether he should try to implement the use of this in his classes. The problem with this app is the number of students who may not have a device that can access it. If the number is low, Scott will “definitely find a way” to use the app in his classes.

“I hope to use it in the near future for topics relating to my World History and Geography classes,” said Scott.