Getting Started

The Search Portal is the place to access Learning Commons resources such as physical books and kits, eBooks, audiobooks, databases, curricula, hands-on resources, supplemental packs, and inclusive education support materials.

Physical resources are shipped directly to your home if you live outside the Kelowna area (e.g., Lake Country to West Kelowna).

What is Available to Me?

	HCOS Enrolled and Flex	HCOS Registered
Books, eBooks, audiobooks	✅	✅
Digital Unit Study Kits	✅	✅
Inclusive Education books	✅	✅
Curriculum	✅	✅
Grades 10-12 Extended Loan General Textbooks	✅	✅
Robots	✅	❌
ADST/Steam Resources*	✅	❌
Supplemental Packs	✅	❌
Inclusive Education packs	✅	❌
Individualized Course Extended Loan Textbooks	✅	❌
Susan Barton Material	✅	❌
Microscopes	✅	❌
Physical Unit Study Kits	✅	❌

*ADST/Steam resources include hands-on items such as Keva planks, K’nex, Lego, Coding kits, Snap Circuits and Cubelets.

How to Log In

Parents

Parents use their Encom username and password to access the Search Portal, Sora, and Subscription passwords. To book physical books and curriculum for a student, log in to the Search Portal under your parent account, not the student account.

If you do not know your Encom password, you can reset it here. If you don’t remember your username, it is usually FirstnameLastname.

Changing your password in Encom will also change your password for the Learning Commons Search Portal, so please keep track of your login information. It takes 24 hours for the credentials to update.

Students

Students use their Encom username and password to access Sora eBooks and Subscription passwords. They cannot book physical items from the Search Portal, but they can view them. Bookings must be made on the parent account. If you do not know your Encom password, you can reset it here.

Loan Periods & Shipping

The default loan period for most items is 10 weeks, which does not include shipping time. Grade 10-12 extended loan textbooks have a loan period of eight months with an option to renew for one month.

Items can be booked up to a year in advance (September to June). Overlapping bookings are not allowed if they exceed 40 items within the 10-week loan period. Back-to-back bookings of the same items are not allowed. Items can be renewed twice for four weeks each time, provided the items have not been booked by someone else.

Enrolled Families

Enrolled families receive eight free shipments (four round trips) per school year (August 1 to June 18). There is a maximum of 40 items per shipment, including a maximum of 8 media items, 6 unit study kits, 2 mini unit study kits and 4 maker education items.

Registered families receive four free shipments (two round trips) per school year (August 1 to June 18).There is a maximum of 40 items per shipment.

Make the most of your free shipments! Due to the cost of shipping, we can't send just one novel or small book. We can ship one textbook or larger item, but it's best to order more than one item.

Please contact Kelly Wiebe with any shipping questions: kelly.wiebe@onlineschool.ca

Fines

Fines are charged for lost or damaged items. The fine can be paid with student funding or invoiced via Paypal.

Avoid fines by:

Keeping kit items together in one area. Ensure the kit bag is not damaged or forgotten when preparing the return shipment
Check all kits for books and items as soon as you receive them. Contact us if anything is missing or damaged.
Prepare packages properly for shipping. Poorly packaged items result in damage!

Items borrowed from HCOS should not be shared with other families not registered or enrolled with HCOS. These materials are specifically for HCOS families. You are responsible for replacement costs of all items signed out under your account, regardless of how they are lost or damaged, except for courier issues.