The Frank Lowy Library Remote access to resources

1
The Frank Lowy Library Remote access to
resources

• Australian Graduate School of Management
• September 2002
• Raj Saxena,Manager, Library Systems Resources
• Mary Anne KennanFrank Lowy Librarian

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Remote access to AGSM Library Resources Why?

• Flexibility for staff and students and 24/7
  access to resources
• Currently 2518 students who come to the
  physical library rarely, if at all.
• 28 electronic full text and abstract databases,
  plus access to 289 via the UNSW Library
• 196 electronic journals, plus access to
  thousands of additional titles via the UNSW
  Library

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Background

• To provide remote access to library and
  information resources we use a combination of
  three (3) applications
• Single Sign On (Computer Associates)
• EZ Proxy (Useful Utilities)
• Unicorn (SIRSI)

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Single Sign On

• eTrust Single Sign On (SSO) by Computer
  Associates.
• Automates access to authorised enterprise wide
  web-based applications.
• User needs only one password to access multiple
  applications.
• Systems and security in the background. Utilises
  encryption and cookies.

5
Unicorn the library management system

• Both SSO and EZProxy leverage of the user access
  policies of Unicorn.
• The user access policies of Unicorn are central
  to the security of the electronic library
  determining which users have access to which
  resources and services.
• Each user has a user record. This record defines
  which level of access the user has and what
  resources they can see and use.

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Electronic Library Vs User Levels
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Interface for Staffs (Levels 3-5) and Students
(Level 2)
Available Gateways Resources
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Interface for Alumni Public (Level 1)
Available Gateways Resources
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Unicorn and EZproxy
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EZproxy

• Specifically designed to provide library users
  with remote access to web based resources
• Operates as an intermediary server (Solaris,
  Linux, Windows NT)between library users and
  licenced databases
• Users connect to EZproxy, then it connects on
  their behalf to your licensed databases to obtain
  web pages and send them back to the users
• Since EZproxy runs on a machine on our network,
  our database vendor sees the requests as coming
  from an IP address on your network, so it permits
  access

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EZproxy _at_ AGSM

• Unicorn serves different web pages showing
  different resources to different levels of users.
• EZProxy enabled links to licenced products are
  only visible to users with Electronic Library
  privileges.
• At AGSM EZproxy runs on Solaris. It only requires
  1MB of disk space and some additional space for
  authentication log files.
• Each licenced resource has a customised CGI
  script. New resources are easily added by editing
  the configuration file and adjusting the link on
  the library web page. http//proxy.agsm.edu.au204
  8/login?urlhttp//proxy.agsm.edu.au/cgi-bin/journ
  als/AccouFinan.cgi."

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EZproxy advantages

• Ease of use for users and administrators
• Does not interfere with existing campus networks
  or other systems
• Excellent helpdesk and user group assistance

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EZproxy - disadvantages

• Links can be slightly slower
• Firewalls at users sites interfere
• Browsers need cookies and proxies enabled

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Thank You

• http//www.usefulutilities.com/ezproxy/
• http//www3.ca.com
• http//www.sirsi.com/Sirsiproducts/ilms.html
• Any questions or comments?