FAQ:Friday Off-Campus access to resources

Welcome to a new weekly feature on the library’s blog – FAQ:Friday. Each Friday, a different FAQ (frequently asked question) and answer will be posted here, along with any useful or pertinent links to other sites and sources.

Too impatient to wait for Friday? Feel free to ask questions in person at the Circulation Desk, or call 955-6090 during library hours.

FAQ: How do use the library databases from off-campus computers?

You might not think this is something you will ever need, but trust FAQ, this is a fabulous feature. Night owl or early riser, local hero or master of the road trip, once you master off-campus access, the library is at your fingertips 24/7.

Begin at the beginning: http://library.marian.edu

If you found us here at FAQ, then you already know how to find the library website. Whew! The good news is that many of the features available on the library website are readily accessible from off-campus computers with internet access -- library catalog, e-reserves, My Library Account, the blog and pod casts.

Accessing the library databases is a different story. The library contracts with publishers and content providers to access these databases, and in turn we are obligated to abide by the terms of the subscription contract, which generally stipulates limited users. This is why access is limited to Marian College users, and why you must authenticate yourself before access is granted to off-campus users.

The single most important thing to remember about accessing library resources from an off-campus computer is to use the correct link. Computers located in the library and on campus (in classrooms and labs) automatically register the appropriate IP range when logging into our services. However, when you want to log in from off-campus, you must first authenticate yourself as a Marian College user to access the databases.

Step one: click on this link

It’s located on the library website, left-hand side.

Step two: use your Marian College user name / password to authenticate.

Note: this is your email user name and password

Example: student235 (everything in front of @marian.edu)

mindless (or whatever your secret password might be)

Step three: Select the database you wish to use from the list.

It’s a bit confusing at first – do I need to log in or don’t I? What’s my password again? Once you get the hang of it, it will be second nature. Just remember, if you want to use a database from off-campus, is it imperative that you use this link:

If you don’t use this link, you will be prompted for a user name/password, but it’s not the correct prompt and Marian information will not log you in to the databases.

Please remember to check in with FAQ:Friday next week, when we feature a quick and dirty guide to using (and abusing) library databases.