Electronic Resources Access Guide

What is EZproxy?

EZproxy is what allows our users to access our electronic resources properly off-campus. If you want to learn more about how EZproxy works, check out this page from OCLC.

What kind of issues can happen with EZproxy?

If a user logs in properly and cannot access a database off-campus, it's likely due to an issue with EZproxy. The screenshot below displays what users will see if there is an EZproxy error. 

If you experience this issue, please contact the Electronic Resources team at eresources@mail.wvu.edu

Users can tell that they are properly logged in and authenticated through WVU from off-campus by the proxy string in the URL. When the proxy string is present, users are authenticated. Example URL: https://www-tandfonline-com.wvu.idm.oclc.org/loi/rard20

Users can create a proxy link, which allows off-campus access, by combining the proxy prefix and the URL. 

original URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcab20

Proxy Prefix: https://wvu.idm.oclc.org/login?url=

Proxy link: https://wvu.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcab20

The EZproxy browser bookmarklet adds the library's EZproxy prefix to a URL. When you are not on the campus network click on the bookmarklet to access licensed library resources that you've found via non-WVU sites such as Google, Google Scholar, email links, Twitter, etc.

To add the bookmarklet to your Chrome browser:

• Go into your Chrome menu,
• Click on bookmarks, then bookmark manager.

• Once there, click on the 3 dots on the top right to open the menu and then choose "add new bookmark". 
• Give the bookmark a name, such as "WVU EZproxy" and copy the following text as the bookmark URL: javascript:void(location.href='https://wvu.idm.oclc.org/login?url='+location.href)

• That should create the bookmark for you.

To use the bookmarklet:

• Click on the bookmark after you land on a licensed resource that you have reached without going through Discovery.
• You will the authenticate through WVU EZproxy (if browser has not already authenticated).  
• The resource page should re-load with full text access (if WVU has an active subscription).  

Resource to test bookmarklet:

• From off-campus, click on article URL, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2024534
  • You should be prompted to subscribe

• Click on our new bookmark

• Authenticate through DUO
• Now, the page should be re-loaded and you should have full text access to the article

Proxy bookmarklet instructions on confluence (staff only resource)