How to Access Library Resources - Please Read

Although Athens authentication has not been needed to access most Library resources for some time, it is clear that many people have still been using that access route.

The recommended route for online students and staff to access the Library resources is via the University portal - just login to EZproxy with your Managed Windows Service (MWS) username and password when prompted. This gives you access to nearly all Library e-resources and from here you can access e-journals, e-books and databases, and also cross-search databases.

There are a few resources that we can't route through EZproxy and if you try to access one of those you will be taken automatically to the new UK Federation login screen where you login with your MWS username and password and gain access.

Please do get in contact if you have any questions.

Where's the Library login box gone?

When you try to access a Library resource now it automatically prompts you to login to EZproxy (with your Managed Windows Service (MWS) username and password). As nearly all Library resources are authenticated through EZproxy now and not Athens the Library has removed the login box as it is no longer necessary to login to both. On the rare occasions that you need to login to Athens to access a resource, you will be prompted to do so when you try to access that resource. Once logged into EZproxy, as long as you stay in the same Internet session, you shouldn't need to login to EZproxy again.

The Login advice FAQ link on the Library home page that has replaced the login box explains this in more detail.

Problem with login to Library at weekend - now resolved

Unfortunately there was a problem over the weekend with some of the computing services at the University. One of the results of this was that for some time no one could login to EZproxy to access the Library from off campus. This problem was resolved early on Monday morning by the University Computing Services and everyone should be able to login again now.

The University apologise for the inconvenience caused.

EZproxy replaces Athens for off-campus access to almost all resources

The Library has updated the library catalogue and the Library collections web pages so that nearly all resources that used to use Athens for off-campus access are now routed via EZproxy. This is possible because EZproxy no longer has problems with firewalls.

Only a handful of resources (none of them e-journals) require an Athens login, and they require it both on- and off-campus. We will soon change our links to these resources so that our link goes straight to our Athens login page.

Mintel & Key Note Market Reports Change to EZproxy Login

Mintel and Key Note Market Reports have now also been switched from Athens login to EZproxy login. Users of Mintel will be pleased that this means they will no longer to need to click on the Athens login link once in the database to get full access. These databases are available from the Management Collections page.

From the Management Collections page, the Computing Collections page and the Public Health Collections page, you can check to see what login is required, by looking at the 'Password' information next to the database title. Over the next few weeks you will see most of the resources change from Athens authentication to EZproxy authentication.

More Library Resources Change to EZproxy Login

'Single sign-on' access to most Library e-resources off-campus moves one step closer today. As part of the switch to EZproxy authentication for most Athens authenticated Library resources the following databases have also now been changed to EZproxy authentication:

• Emerald Fulltext
• Cambridge Journals Online
• JSTOR
• ScienceDirect
• Scopus

This should make access to content easier as there will no longer be the need to click on an Athens login link once in the resource. This often caused confusion and meant that users experienced difficulties viewing the full text of articles.

As mentioned earlier today, Business Source Premier has already been switched to EZproxy login.

Business Source Premier - now EZproxy login

Business Source Premier is one of the first Athens authenticated databases to be switched to EZproxy authentication in our move to provide single sign-on access to most of our e-resources off-campus.

When you go to access Business Source Premier from the Management Collections Page, you will see that the password information now says 'EZproxy'. So just login to EZproxy with your MWS username and password using the Library Login box, select the 'Connect' link for Business Source Premier and you will get access.

If you have any questions about this please email me, Stephanie Allen Online_Librarian@embanet.com

EZproxy Upgrade Eliminates Firewall Problems

Good news! The University Computing Services have moved EZproxy to new hardware and upgraded the EZproxy software to a new version. One major benefit of this upgrade is that EZproxy no longer conflicts with firewalls so users off-campus will find off-campus access much easier.

The Library appreciate that many users find Athens confusing, so we will eliminate the need for it wherever possible. Over the next couple of months we will start linking to most Athens-authenticated resources via EZproxy instead, so that EZproxy will in effect provide single sign-on access to most of our e-resources off-campus.

The new version of EZproxy also includes a number of security measures that will help us to ensure that our e-resources are used in accordance with licence terms and conditions.

Keep watching the Library News blog for more information.