IU Bloomington Libraries pays for full text access to many databases, journals and other online resources: view an A-Z list of all library-subscribed resources. IU Bloomington faculty, students, and staff can access these library-subscribed resources off campus through a service called EZProxy. EZProxy is a snippet of code that can be added to the URLs of library-subscribed online resources to create links that work on and off campus:
This IU Bloomington-specific link triggers authentication either through directing you to log in through IU Login or by recognizing that you're using an IU VPN (learn more about split tunneling and how it changes how you can access library resources off campus). Once you've authenticated with IU, you can access library-subscribed full text resources off campus.
The three ways to access online resources off campus
To utilize EZProxy, you must access online resources one of three ways. Why? Only when using these options will online resource URLs have IU permalinks appended to them.
Option 1 Access library-subscribed resources using the library website or IUCAT, our IU-system catalog.
Search the library website and IUCAT now!Option 2 Download the LibKey Nomad browser plugin.
Available for Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi, Firefox, and Brave.Option 3 Create an EZProxy Bookmarklet for your browser.
Learn how to create and use a Bookmarklet.What if I don't use any of the methods described above?
If you search for articles and journals off campus using a regular search engine, like Google, you will be asked to pay for full text access by databases like PubMed, JSTOR, and Nexis Uni. That's because searching this way doesn't utilize EZProxy permalink authentication.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar isn’t a database that IU subscribes to but it is possible to search for and access library-subscribed online resources from Google Scholar IF you are properly authenticated. Watch this video from the IU Libraries Teaching and Learning department YouTube channel to learn the two different ways to use Google Scholar to access full text, library-subscribed online resources. If you're using LibKey Nomad, Google Scholar will automatically affiliate you with IU.
Can't find full text access to the resources you need?
Sharing Links to Databases, Journals, Ebooks or Articles
If you are sharing URLs to databases, journals, or articles, you need to make sure you are using a proxied version of the URL, or permalink, so that the IU person you share with can properly authenticate to access the full text resource. Each database has permalinks in different places but our linking to library resources page gives an overview and library research guides have short videos about where to find permalinks in EBSCO databases (e.g. OneSearch@IU or Academic Search Complete) and other databases.
Why is it different ON campus?
On campus, it is typically seamless to access many library-subscribed databases, journals, etc. without starting on the library website because your browser recognizes and authenticates you based on your location on campus (through your IP address) and/or your machine’s connection to the IU Network. Sometimes you have to use IU Login once on campus to trigger that recognition. Off campus, even when using VPN, this same recognition isn't triggered.
Create Permalink DOIs
Both DOIs and permalinks are a type of “persistent URL” that do not get updated or changed. A DOI (or digital object identifier) is a unique persistent identifier for a published digital object. Permalinks, unlike DOIs, have university affiliation attached to them. To make sure an IU-affiliated person can access the full text of a published digital object that is located behind a paywall, the IU permalink prefix should be added to the beginning of the DOI. For example:
https://proxyiub.uits.iu.edu/login?url=
+
https://doi.org/10.1080/10520295.2020.1735520
=
https://proxyiub.uits.iu.edu/login?url=https://doi.org/10.1080/10520295.2020.1735520
New to DOIs? Learn more about creating DOIs for your data or publications using IU ScholarWorks.
Free IU Resources
- Free resources for alumni, friends, and Indiana residents
- Learn about the open access movement
- IU ScholarWorks: an open access publishing option through IU Libraries
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