How to Connect Portland Community College (PCC) Library to Google Scholar for Full-Text Access

If you’re a student or researcher at Portland Community College (PCC), you likely use Google Scholar to find academic articles. But you may find many items without full-text access. The good news is: PCC Library supports you in linking Google Scholar to the library’s subscriptions so you can access full-text articles seamlessly. Below is how to set it up and use it effectively.

1. Why Set Up Library Linking with Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a powerful search engine for scholarly literature. However, many of its results link only to abstracts or paid-access versions. By configuring Google Scholar to recognise PCC Library’s subscriptions, you enable a feature called “Find it @ PCC” (or similar) that lets you click through to full-text when PCC has access. This improves your research experience because:

• You spend less time hunting for full-text versions.

• You use PCC’s licensed content rather than random pay-walls.

• You stay signed-in or authenticated to PCC Library resources, even off-campus.

PCC’s guide titled How to Search PCC Library on Google Scholar explains this setup. 

2. Preparatory Steps: Ensure You Have Library Access

Before linking Google Scholar, make sure you are a current PCC student, faculty or staff member authorised for library e-resources. Also ensure:

• You have your MyPCC (or PCC account) login credentials ready.

• If you’ll access off-campus, check instructions for remote library access. PCC has a page “Resources and Help When Off-Campus” which describes that you’ll be prompted to log in using your PCC credentials. 

• You’re comfortable using the library’s “Articles & Databases” section for full-text retrieval. 

Once you’re set up with library login info and remote access, you can move ahead.

3. Step-by-Step: Configure Google Scholar to Recognise PCC Library

Follow these steps to link Google Scholar with PCC Library:

1. Go to Google Scholar.

2. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the upper-left corner.

3. Select Settings.

4. In the settings page, click Library links on the left-hand side.

5. In the search box labelled “Find libraries,” type Portland Community College.

6. Check the box next to “Portland Community College – Find it @ PCC” (or the equivalent entry).

7. Click Save.

Once you have done this, Google Scholar will display a “Find it @ PCC” link alongside search results whenever PCC Library has subscription access to that article. This link will guide you through authentication and full-text retrieval.

PCC’s guide clearly shows these steps. 

4. How to Use the “Find it @ PCC” Link When Searching

After configuration, here’s how to retrieve full text using Google Scholar:

• Search for your topic or article in Google Scholar.

• When the results show up, look for links on the right side of each result such as “PDF”, “[Full-text at …]”, or “Find it @ PCC”.

• Click “Find it @ PCC”. This should redirect you to the PCC Library system, sometimes prompting you to sign in with your PCC credentials.

• Once authenticated, you’ll be directed to the library’s version of the article, which might be a database entry, a PDF link, or an e-journal page.

• If you’re off-campus and prompted to login, use your MyPCC ID. Once logged in, you can access full-text if PCC provides it.

If the direct link is not visible or you get a notice that full-text is unavailable, you have two fallback options:

• Use the library’s Article search or Database search (via PCC Library website) to search the title or journal name.

• Use the Interlibrary loan (ILL) or request form via the library if PCC doesn’t have that specific article.

5. Off-Campus Access and Authentication

Many students work remotely, so ensuring off-campus access is critical. PCC Library confirms:

“From off-campus, you will be prompted to log in using your PCC credentials. If your login is successful, you will be taken directly to the article.”

Key tips for off-campus access:

• Clear your browser’s cache and cookies if you run into sign-in issues.

• Use a private/incognito window if the login screen fails.

• Make sure you are signed into your MyPCC student account (or the library’s authentication system) before clicking the “Find it @ PCC” link.

• If off-campus access still fails, try logging into the PCC Library website first, then return to Google Scholar.

• If you receive a “403/Access Denied” or “You must login” message, contact a librarian or use the Library Authentication Problem form.

By properly authenticating, you will ensure full-text access for articles PCC has licensed.

6. Additional Tips for Better Results

• Use quotation marks for exact title searches: In Google Scholar, place the article title in double quotes (e.g., “Climate change adaptation Africa”) to find the exact match.

• Filter by year or author: Use the Google Scholar filters (left panel) to narrow results by year, author, or include citations.

• Check version links: Some articles have multiple versions (pre-prints, author versions). Click the “All x versions” link to see if the full-text version is freely available.

• Always use the “Find it @ PCC” link: Even when you find a PDF link, it’s wise to check the PCC version for stable access and library metadata.

• Export citations: When you find the article, capture the bibliographic details (authors, title, journal, date). Use the Google Scholar citation icon under the result to export to Zotero, EndNote, etc.

• Use library research guides: PCC has research guides by subject which help you find recommended databases and search strategies.

7. What If Full-Text Still Isn’t Available?

There are cases where PCC does not have access to a particular journal or article. In those cases:

• When you click “Find it @ PCC” and see a message like “Full-text not available,” click the “Request it via Interlibrary Loan” or “Get it through Summit/ILL” link if offered.

• If the article is not in Google Scholar’s result but you have citation info, use the library’s Database list (via PCC Library > Articles & Databases). Search the journal name or article title manually. 

• Contact the subject‐liaison librarian via PCC Library for support—they can often expedite requests for access or suggest alternative sources.

• Consider reaching out to the author directly or seeing if a pre-print version is in an institutional repository.

8. Why This Process Matters for Your Research

Using Google Scholar with the PCC Library link improves your workflow and research quality:

• Efficiency: You save time by clicking directly into PCC’s full-text from Google Scholar rather than navigating the library website separately.

• Quality sources: You are more likely to access peer-reviewed, reliable journal articles rather than random web PDFs.

• Remote readiness: Even when off-campus, you retain access to PCC’s licensed content with proper sign-in.

• Citation integrity: Because you’re accessing the official version of the article, you can rely on accurate bibliographic details and version control.

In academic work, properly linking to full-text enhances your literature review and strengthens your writing, especially when students cite and integrate sources from databases that the library provides.

9. Common Issues and How to Fix Them

Issue	Cause	Solution
“Find it @ PCC” link missing	Library link preferences not set	Go to Google Scholar > Settings > Library Links and enable PCC “Find it @ PCC”
Prompt to login repeatedly	Browser cookies or pop-ups blocked	Clear cache/cookies; allow pop-ups; try incognito while logging in
Off-campus access denied	Not signed into MyPCC or session expired	Sign into MyPCC; use the library website login first; contact library if problem persists
Full-text still unavailable	PCC may not subscribe to that journal	Use interlibrary loan request or search alternative databases

10. Best Practices for Students & Researchers at PCC

• When starting research, open Google Scholar and ensure you're signed in with your MyPCC credentials (if off-campus).

• Always enable the library link as described above before searching.

• Keep a list (spreadsheet or document) of key articles you find via “Find it @ PCC”, including full citation details.

• Export citations to a reference manager (Zotero, Mendeley) early so you don’t lose track.

• Bookmark relevant PCC library research guides and subject-liaison contact info for help. 

• When using Google Scholar results, verify you accessed the licensed version via “Find it @ PCC” rather than a random site.

• If a result shows “All x versions” and one version is free, still check the “Find it @ PCC” link to ensure you capture the correct version for citation.

Note

Connecting Google Scholar with PCC Library’s full-text access system is a simple but powerful step that enhances your academic research. By setting up the library link preferences, signing in properly (especially off-campus), and using the “Find it @ PCC” links, you ensure seamless access to articles that PCC has licensed. This workflow saves you time, ensures quality of sources, and supports your research integrity.

Whether you are writing a term paper, a literature review, or a thesis, using this method puts you in a stronger position to find full-text articles efficiently and cite them accurately.