The document provides information on accessing e-resources from the library catalogue, A-Z e-resources list, and A-Z e-journals list. It also discusses off-campus access issues and potential solutions, including screenshot guides. Scenarios are presented where students are unable to access full-text for various reasons, such as lacking subscription coverage, paywall issues, or authentication problems. Troubleshooting steps are suggested such as checking subscription information and the student's account status.

1. Finding and accessing e-resources
Louise Cole
Senior Information Advisor
30/6/09 and 2/7/09

2. Summary
Access from the Library catalogue (Prism/OPAC)
Access from the A-Z e-resources
Access from the A-Z e-journals
Off-campus access
Support issues

3. Access from the Library Catalogue
Journals in the A-Z list now also listed in the
catalogue as MARC updates
New update file loaded each month
A-Z continues to update after a 24 hour delay
Records separate from print title
Judith currently weeding out duplicate entries
and alerting e-subs to any outstanding problems
See Abacus for an example

4. Access from the A-Z e-resources

5. Access from the A-Z e-journals

6. Off-campus access: where a student might
have to click
Single sign-on problems at journal and/or article
level; database level sign-on much simpler
Terminology is not always the same from one
resource to another …
Nor is the position of the log in button or link …
Nor is the process once you’ve clicked on the link
… Even if your starting point is StudentSpace!

7. Those buttons – some examples

8. Off-campus access … some solutions
Screenshot project: step by step instructions in
PowerPoint and later, in Captivate
Public notes available in E-journals A-Z and in
360 Link
Put pressure on publishers to standardize
terminology
Any ideas to simplify process for students
welcome
+ revamp of E-resources FAQs on the way

9. The interactive bit …
Three scenarios.
Work in groups.
Imagine this is a real enquiry – what would you
do?
Include any checks you would make and any
issues you can identify.

10. Scenarios
1.A student would like to view full-text of an
article. The journal is listed in the A-Z e-journals
but she can’t access the content.
2. A student has followed a link from the A-Z e-
resources into Ingenta. He is being asked for
payment when he tries to access an article of
interest.
3. A student has successfully logged into
StudentSpace but can’t get access to a database
from the A-Z e-resources.

11. Scenario 1
A student would like to view full-text of an article. The
journal is listed in the A-Z e-journals but she can’t access
the content.
Check A-Z e-journals. Is the year of the article she is trying to
access included in our coverage?
Try it yourself. Are you getting a request for payment or an error
message?
Is the site showing that we subscribe to the content (although this is
not always obvious)?
Try another article from the same journal – same result?
Check student’s record as they may be on grace logins which would
block them from any external authentication.

12. Scenario 2
A student has followed a link from the A-Z e-resources
into Ingenta. He is being asked for payment when he
tries to access an article of interest.
Check whether we do subscribe to that journal by searching for it in
the A-Z e-journals. Not everything in Ingenta is available in full-text
to us.
Look for any hints about accessing the content in A-Z e-journals.
Check whether the subs icon is visible against the content in Ingenta.
Try it yourself – do you get the same request for payment?
Check their user record to see if they are an odd category of user
such as partner college or external – this might block their access.

13. Scenario 3
A student has successfully logged into StudentSpace but
can’t get access to a database from the A-Z e-resources.
Check A-Z e-resources list for any notes relating to access problems.
Check their user account to see if they are on grace logins. Suggest
they change their password and then try again – note this takes a
while to synchronise before they will be able to access with the new
password.
Try it yourself. Can you get access to the database? Note any error
messages that you see.

14. Support issues
Check whether problem is on-campus
Check yourself whether you can get into the resource
Check whether enquirer is trying to access dates we don’t
have (check coverage in A-Z e-journals)
Check whether any public notes have been followed
Take note of any error messages
Check user record to see if any problems, e.g. grace
login
If still not sure email eresources@kingston.ac.uk or
advise enquirer to do so with full details