Library Guides
The majority of electronic resources we subscribe too can be accessed away from the university.
The most direct route to accessing our resources is via the library catalogue. You can either do a title search on the Quick Search tab if you know the resource you want to search or if you aren't sure what's available in your subject area use the Databases for My Subject menu on the Digital Library tab.
The catalogue record for each resource gives one or more links that you can use to access the resource. The simplest route whether you are on of off campus is to use the top link which is the name of of the resource (Academic Search Elite, Socindex, Newsbank for example).
If you are off campus you will be asked to verify your identity (and eligibility to use this resource) by giving your library username (the number on your ID card, for staff this starts x100 ...) and password (whatever you use to logon to your PC at University).
The second link on the catalogue record is an alternative access route using the UK Access Management Federation service. When you click on the link you will be asked to verify your identify by using your University username and password.
This FAQ How do I access digital resources explains which link and username and password to use
Some of our resources such as ZETOC Alert, Trilt and Dawsonera (one of our ebook platforms) can only be accessed via this route, whilst some other resources offer personalisation features that can only be accessed if you login via this route.
By offering two separate logon routes we should be able to maintain access to resources and ensure service availability.
A popular misconception is that Athens is a collection of resources that you could access with an Athens username and password – it isn’t. Athens is an authentication system that allows you to access the electronic resources your library subscribes to anywhere in the world.
Athens as an authentication scheme has largely been superseded in the Higher Education community by the UK Access Management Federation and this is authentication scheme we use.
You might still come across Athens when talking to colleagues in other sectors such as the NHS or other universities; this is because they have chosen to use Athens as their authentication system.
Your research is very unique and specialised to you and we recognise we don’t always have the article, journal or book you need, but we can get it for you via our Document Supply Service.
