New Remote Access to Library Databases
Many of the electronic resources subscribed to by the Porter Henderson Library are licensed to be used only by current Angelo State University students, faculty and staff. To comply with these license agreements, access is often restricted to the Internet Protocol (IP) address ranges registered as belonging to the University. This means that users on-campus or dialing in to the University's modem pool are allowed access to the databases but those using computers with a different IP number are refused access. To remedy this situation, a proxy server is used.
A proxy server performs two primary functions: it authenticates users as authorized ASU students, staff or faculty by requiring a login, thus ensuring compliance with vendor restrictions; it serves as an on-campus intermediary (with a valid IP address) by passing information between off-campus users and restricted online resources. The proxy server requires users to reconfigure their browser and turn the proxy server connection on or off. Interestingly enough, setting up ASU's proxy server connection prevents users from accessing RamCat, the Library's online catalog. That's because the online catalog uses a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol to encrypt all personal information transmitted from within RamCat to the Library server. From a security point of view, SSL interprets the presence of the proxy server as an unauthorized attack on the Library server and stops all access to the online catalog.
Until now, ASU's proxy server was the only remote access resource available to authorized ASU Library patrons. As of September 8, 2003, the Library has made it easier for our patrons to access our electronic resources from off campus, by using a utility called EZproxy, EZproxy is a URL rewriter: it rewrites the URLS of restricted Web sites so requests going through the EZproxy server to the vendor systems appear to come from on-campus.
EZ Proxy requires no configuration on the user's part. From any computer anywhere in the world, any authorized ASU student, faculty or staff member can click on a link to an online resource from the Library's RamNet Web pages. EZProxy determines whether the user's computer is on-campus or off. If the computer is on-campus, the user willl bypass EZProxy and be sent directly to the resource. If the computer is off-campus, the user will be required to login. The login used is a valid ASU POP email account username and password. (All requests for assistance with ASU email accounts and login information should be directed to Information Technology's Help Desk at 942-2911).
EZproxy uses cookies to keep track of each session, during which authorized users have seamless access to each database they choose. EZproxy will not work if the browser is set NOT to accept cookies. These cookies contain only the session key and expire when the user closes the browser. No personal information is stored by EZproxy. EZproxy requires authentication from authorized users once per browser session.
If you experience access problems after logging into the EZproxy server, please email Antonella Ward, Multimed Support Librarian, at antonella.ward@angelo.edu. In your email, please include the URL at the point that access was denied, and any related error message that appears on your screen.