EZProxy Scenario

Wed Jan 15 13:14:22 EST 2014

Hi Trista,

I'd definitely agree with the hassle concern, unless there's a really good
reason to think the portal approach will fit well into students'
workflow--so maybe if they're already routinely using the portal for
similar off-campus stuff and / or don't normally go to the library site
directly (check stats about that). Not just that they won't tolerate it,
but also that it will confuse them.

This is not identical but somewhat similar to something we've been talking
about here--in our case, we're a consortium, and it has to do with how our
libraries' users access our stuff (through a variety of ways!). For at
least one of them, students need to follow a link from their library site
to our site so that they arrive already authenticated. If they type our URL
directly into their browsers instead, they end up on our login page, which
has no idea what to do with their campus credentials. But of course that's
what happens not infrequently, and the library gets questions every day
about how to log in, which is why we've been talking about ways to handle
this kind of scenario better--because it's not that great for the students
or the librarians.

So yeah, not totally the same... but I'd say if you can offer the option to
have people go to point A and it works, instead of going to point B then
point A or else point A doesn't work--do that. Or just to say it one more
time, if logging in can be a natural part of what people need to
accomplish, instead of the thing they have to think about before doing what
they actually want to accomplish... eh, you know what I'm saying.

-Sarah

On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 11:56 AM, TRISTA NELSON <TNELSON at glenoaks.edu>wrote:

>  Michael,
> In Scenario 1 when an off-campus user clicks the links for databases
> without EZ-Proxy, they get an error and are not able to access the database
> unless they go to the "Off-site database access" webpage....
>
> The main difference that I see with using the web portal instead of
> EZ-Prozy is that if an off campus user goes to the library website finds a
> database they want to use they won't be able to unless they go back to the
> main college webpage and sign on to the web portal and then access the
> library webpage through the intranet.  It seems like a lot of hassle and
> the users won't tolerate, but I wanted some second opinions from people who
> aren't as biased as myself.
>
> Thanks for all your responses,
> Trista Nelson
>
> >>> "Cabus, Michael" <CabusM at PHILAU.EDU> 1/15/2014 11:44 AM >>>
>
> Hi
>   It seems your web technician has something against EZ-Proxy
>
> If I am understanding scenario 1 correctly, having links to databases
> without EZ-Proxy allows those outside to access university resources..which
> may be in violation of contracts...
>
> For me, the importance of EZ-Proxy is: protecting use of resources from
> those off-campus who should not have access, yet provide access to those
> who should have access; and providing a better user experience for those on
> campus (signing on takes time, especially if you have already signed on to
> a lab computer and have to sign on again).
>
> I don't see a difference between the web portal and EZ-Proxy, though,
> honestly, it does not seem like a good use of the web technician's
> time...EZ-Proxy does the same thing.
>
> Michael Cabus
> Systems Librarian, Paul J. Gutman Library
> Philadelphia University
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Web technologies in libraries [WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] on behalf
> of TRISTA NELSON [TNELSON at GLENOAKS.EDU]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 11:27 AM
> To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] EZProxy Scenario
>
> I could use some sage advice on how to respond to the following scenario:
>
> A small community college purchases EZProxy to enable users to access
> databases outside of the library.  Once paid for and available for use,
> management decides that the EZProxy server url will be added to database
> links on a single webpage called "Offsite database access".  Any other
> references to databases on the library webpages will not have the EZProxy
> server url because management does not want to overload the EZProxy server
> by having every link go through EZProxy.
>
> After a year, the college web technician tells management that he can
> bypass EZProxy all together and the library can discontinue its use.  He
> will provide authentication through the college intranet.  Students will
> need to sign in to the college "portal" (or intranet) then access the
> library website.  The technician explains that the sign in will cause the
> students IP address to show up as the college thereby allowing access to
> the databases.
>
> I'm in a precarious position and need some advice on the above scenarios.
> I'm hoping that you have run into a situations like these and can advise me
> on either arguments for or against these situations.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Trista Nelson, Library Clerk
> Glen Oaks Community College
> 62249 Shimmel Rd.
> Centreville, MI 49032
> (269) 294-4293
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