General information about off-campus access

OVERVIEW

Some of the major academic online resources available through the Library can be reached from off-campus without any restrictions. These include the Online Catalog, one version of ERIC, and Medline. Other databases require users to set up a proxy server connection to access them from off-campus. There are more than 60 databases available through this method, most of them provided through the OCLC FirstSearch system. These databases provide full-text articles from more than 3600 periodicals. Indeed, through EBSCO's Academic Search FullTEXT Elite, OCLC's WilsonSelectPlus, and Bell & Howell's ABI/INFORM Global, off-campus users have direct access to a periodical collection with more current titles than what is available on the shelves of the Library.

These databases use IP address verification: they check the address of the computer making an incoming request in order to ensure that it matches their approved list. Any computer on the La Sierra campus network automatically passes. A proxy server is a computer on-campus that takes requests from off-campus browsers and relays them to the database computers, so that it appears that the request is coming from on-campus.

Telling your browser to use a proxy server is a simple procedure that takes about 30 seconds.

Requirements

You need three things to access library databases from off-campus.:

1. You must be currently enrolled at La Sierra University.
2. A computer with dial-in or direct connection to the Internet.
3. A Web browser running on that computer

Getting the Proxy Server Password

There are three ways to get the password.

• By phone. Call the Reference Desk (at 951-785-2396; campus x2396) during the hours the Library is open. (Note that the Reference Desk is usually closed from noon-1 PM and 5-6 PM, but you can leave a message and we'll get back to you.) You will need to have your student number available so we can check the database to make sure you're currently enrolled.
• By e-mail. Send an e-mail to the Library Reference Desk (reference@lasierra.edu asking for the password. Please include your name, student ID number, and address to mail the password to.
• In person. Come to the Library Reference Desk and show us your current LSU ID card.

The password changes each quarter, so you will have to obtain a new one at the start of each quarter.

How to Connect

This involves three straightfoward steps.

First, set up a proxy server connection on your browser to proxy.lasierra.edu, port 8080. This is a very simple procedure. Step-by-step instructions for doing on this on particular browsers are listed below.

• Instructions for Internet Explorer 5.0/ 5.5 for Windows
• Instructions for Internet Explorer 4 for Windows
• Instructions for Internet Explorer for the Macintosh
• Instructions for Netscape Navigator
• If you are using AOL

If you are using a different browser, or have trouble following the instructions, please contact William Diehl of La Sierra University Computing Services at 951-785-2554 (campus x2554).

Once you have set up the connection, click on any link. The first page you open will automatically start the proxy server login routine. You will need to log in to the proxy server, with the username libdatabase and the password obtained by following the instructions above. PLEASE NOTE: the username and password will ONLY work on the "Enter Network Password" login screen for the proxy server. They WILL NOT work on the database servers directly: if you get an error message saying something like "incorrect name or password" then you need to go back and make sure that you have the proxy server connection working.

This is the screen where you should enter the proxy server username and password:

After logging in, go to the Library online databases page (http://www.lasierra.edu/library/onlinedb_enc) and do your search normally. When you have finished searching, please disconnect the proxy server (reverse the steps you used to log in). It is very important that you do this, since otherwise whenever you are offline or inactive for more than a few minutes, you will have to log back into the proxy server to use the Internet.

If you are using AOL

The AOL browser does not understand proxy servers. There is a workaround for this:

1. Connect to the Internet using the AOL browser
2. Minimize the AOL window (do NOT close the connection, just minimize it)
3. Start another browser and use that browser to search our databases. (You may need to use Netscape Navigator rather than Internet Explorer for this purpose; you can download Navigator from http://www.netscape.com/ . Actually, any browser other than Internet Explorer should work in this situation.)
4. You will, of course, need to set up the other browser to use a proxy server according to the instructions for that particular browser.
5. If you are still having problems, or need help installing Navigator, contact William Diehl of La Sierra University Computing Information Services at wdiehl@lasierra.edu or (951) 785-2554 line 6.

Reasons for the Restrictions

The function of the Library is to make information available in the most convenient and effective manner possible to the University community. However, database producers place restrictions on who may be considered a part of that community. Contractual license agreements with these producers limit access to currently enrolled students, faculty and staff. No exceptions can be made for former or future students.