MeL Databases Registration

Thank you for your interest in the MeL databases!   

Registration is open to any Michigan library or school district, or to organizations such as museums and archives.

NOTE: Individual Michigan residents may access the MeL Databases at mel.org by entering a driver's license number or a MeLCat participating library patron card number.

  • To register your library or School District for direct access to the MeL Databases, email the following information to:  meldatabaseshelp@mcls.org
    1. Library or School District name and address
    2. Library or School District contact person name, email, and phone number
    3. Library or School District IP address. Please verify the following about your IP address:
      • direct Internet connection
      • static IP (does not change)
      • external IP (routable)
      • dedicated IP (not used by any other location)

We can only register static, external, dedicated IP addresses to allow your patrons access to the MeL Databases from your library or school without entering logins and/or passwords.

If you do not know your IP, we recommend you check with your tech folks, network administrator, or ISP (Internet Service Provider). Or you may go to: http://www.whatismyip.com    Write down the IP that pops up. Try this on several computers to see if the same IP or a different IP pops up.

For information about IPs and what is required for registration, click here.

If you have a dial-up connection, or do not have a static IP, we can set up logins and passwords for access from your library or school.

MCLS staff will contact you to finalize the registration process.



For further information or for technical support, please contact the MeL Databases Support Staff.


This service is funded in part by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan. Additional project support comes from the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) via the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).