Library IT Help Desk >> Remote Access to Library Services >> Proxy Server for E-Resources
Proxy Server for E-Resources
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- Why do we need a proxy server?
- Most of our e-resource database vendors only allow access to their products if your machine's Internet (IP) address is recognized as belonging to the UIUC campus. The proxy server allows people who are off campus to access these restricted databases.
- How does the proxy server work?
- Your web browser communicates with the proxy server in the library, which communicates with the e-resource web site for you, and makes it appear that you are on campus.
- How do I use it?
- As a patron, you don't have to do anything special to make this work. When you click on a link from our web pages (and the link must be properly written), our web server decides whether you need the proxy server. If you are off campus, you will be prompted for your University NetID and password. Once that's verified, you'll get a link to begin using the e-resource through the proxy server. Your connection will stay authorized until either you close your web browser, or don't communicate with the proxy server for two hours.
- What if I don't know my NetID or password?
- Visit CITES Account Services for assistance.
- What if my network has its own HTTP proxy server?
- Ours should still work with it. Unlike a standard HTTP proxy server, the Library proxy presents web pages that appear to come from normal web server. It does this by searching the content of the pages it retrieves on your behalf, and rewriting the URLs so they refer back to itself instead of the remote servers it proxies. Therefore, you should not change your web browser's proxy settings to use our service.
- Why does the Proxy server login come up even when I'm using the campus VPN?
- Unfortunately, the license terms for most of the Library's subscription databases restrict access to current University employees, students, and retired faculty. CITES VPN allows a broader set of affiliated users, therefore even VPN connections must be authenticated to determine eligibility.