Impact of statewide database deals?

[Elena O'Malley]

> > It's becoming relatively common lately for a state to provide
> > central funding for access to full text databases for all the
> > state's residents.
>
> I've been wondering how states doing this are providing remote
> access?  And what about the issue of authentication?

Massachusetts Library and Information Network uses whatever the
vendor offers, as far as I can tell. Some are set up as Thomas Dowling
described for OhioLink -- referer authentication. Some ask for a username
& password after determining the requestor is outside an approved IP
range. The passworded ones are a mix -- sometimes unique to each
library, sometimes one per regional network, and sometimes they're 
assigned by phases of the moon.

Elena O'Malley, Technology Librarian, Cardinal Cushing Library
Emmanuel College, 400 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
omalleye at emmanuel.edu