Internet Access to Library Resources for All Library Users
"Library access and privileges" traditionally refer to policies defining what individuals or groups have physical access to a library's collection and what services are available to them, e.g., borrowing, interlibrary loan, reference, document delivery, etc. As more and more library and information resources become available on the Internet, libraries have expanded these policies to incorporate virtual as well as physical access. The following defines policies for Internet access to the University of Chicago Library's online resources.
For purposes of defining Internet access policies, the Library has identified these groups:
General Public
Other Academic Library Users
University Faculty, Students, and Staff
University Hospital Staff
University Alumni and Affiliates
For more information on all types of Library access and privileges, please contact the Privileges Office.
University of Chicago Faculty, Students and Staff: for questions/assistance concerning University of Chicago network or proxy server connections to the Library, please click here or contact reference staff at the Joseph Regenstein, John Crerar or D'Angelo Law libraries.
For purposes of Internet access, the General Public consists of any individuals who do not belong to any of the other four groups identified above.
A. Internet Access Outside the Library
Anyone with a personal computer, connectivity to the Internet via an Internet Services Provider (ISP) and Internet browser software is welcome to connect to the University of Chicago Library and use its Catalog. The Catalog contains bibliographic and holdings information for material owned by the Library in all of its physical facilities. Extensive information about the Library--hours of service, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, collections, etc.--can also be found on the Library's Web site.
The Library's Web site and Catalog also contain links to online resources provided by vendors for subscription fees, based on the approximate total number of potential users. The Library pays for University faculty, students, staff and other Library visitors; it must restrict access to them. Online resource vendors enforce this restriction by denying access to anyone who does not have an Internet connection via the University network, proxy server or Virtual Private Network (VPN). Anyone using other connections cannot access these restricted online resources even though they appear as "live" links on the Library's Web site and in the Catalog.
B. Internet Access Inside the Library
Members of the general public can have physical access to University of Chicago Library facilities under certain conditions. For example, the John Crerar Library is open to the public at specific times. Public workstations in Library facilities--all connected to the University network--provide any visitor with access to all of the Library's online resources.
If a member of the general public visits the Library, s/he may bring a personal computer but it can only be connected to the Internet if the user has a wireless ISP provider. It should be noted that the Library cannot guarantee either the workability or quality of such connectivity within any of its facilities. Even with such a connection, a member of the general public has access only to the publicly available online resources of the Library, not those restricted to University faculty, students and staff. However, they can of course use the public workstations for access to such resources.
C. Internet Access Using Citation Management Software
Any user with a personal computer; connectivity to the Internet via an Internet Services Provider (ISP); and a Z39.50-compliant software package such as EndNote or ProCite may configure the package to connect to, search or download bibliographic and holdings data from the University of Chicago Library Catalog. These packages require users to define connection files using a resource's Z39.50 attributes. Click here for information on the Catalog's Z39.50 attributes. An EndNote connection file for the Catalog may also be obtained from the Library's Web site (for both Windows and Macintosh).
II. Other Academic Library Users
Any library may establish an Internet link from its online catalog to the University of Chicago Library Catalog for the convenience of its users. If this link utilizes the Z39.50 protocol, the user can search for and display records from the Catalog using the same conventions applicable in his/her "home" catalog. If the link is ordinary hypertext, the user will use the Catalog's search/display conventions.
The Catalog contains links to online resources provided by vendors for subscription fees, based on the approximate total number of potential users. The Library pays for University faculty, students, staff and other Library visitors; it must restrict access to them. Online resource vendors enforce this restriction by denying access to anyone who does not have an Internet connection via the University network or proxy server. Anyone using an Internet link via his/her own library catalog cannot access these restricted online resources even though they appear as "live" links.
Some academic libraries have entered into reciprocal agreements to allow their users physical access to the University of Chicago Library. Public workstations in Library facilities--all connected to the University network--provide any visitor with access to all of the Library's online resources. Click here for more information about reciprocal agreements and privileges for other students and academics.
The information under General Public regarding citation management software and the use of personal computers in the Library's facilities also applies to this group.
III. University Faculty, Students and Staff
For purposes of Internet access, a University faculty, student or staff member is an individual with a campus computing account as established by University of Chicago Networking Service & Information Technologies (NSIT).
A. Internet Access Inside the Library
All University faculty, students and staff members have physical access to any University of Chicago Library facility upon presentation of a valid University ID. Public workstations in Library facilities--all connected to the University network--provide any visitor with access to all of the Library's online resources.
University faculty, students and staff with their own, properly equipped personal computers may use the University's wire or wireless network connections in any Library facility (provided they have an active campus computing account). When connected to the University network, users have access to all of the Library's online resources (see also the next paragraph).
B. Internet Access On-Campus
University faculty, students and staff with their own, properly equipped personal computers may use the University's wire or wireless network connections in campus facilities (classrooms, laboratories, dormitory rooms, faculty offices, libraries and other buildings) for access to the Internet (provided they have an active campus computing account). When connected to the University network, users have access to all of the Library's online resources.
University students should click here for information on network connectivity from dormitories. Faculty and staff members should consult with the person who services their unit's computing needs.
C. Internet Access Off-Campus
All of the following assumes that the University faculty, student or staff member has a campus computing account with a valid user name and password. This is required for using any of the following connectivity methods.
University faculty, students and staff with personal computers and a modem may obtain the NSIT Connectivity Package that allows connection to the University network from off-campus locations via a dial-in modem pool. When so connected, users have access to all of the Library's online resources.
University faculty, students and staff who connect to the Internet using their own Internet Services Provider (ISP) can configure their browsers to use the University's proxy server in order to have access to all of the Library's online resources. Click here for browser configuration instructions. If University faculty, students and staff do not use the proxy server connection, they will be connected like the General Public and will not have access to all of the Library's online resources. Note: NSIT recommends Mozilla as the best Internet browser when using the proxy server. If another browser is preferred, consider connecting via the University's VPN.
University faculty, students and staff may also use the Virtual Private Network (VPN) in lieu of the proxy server. Some popular Internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer) do not always work well with proxy servers. The VPN connection may therefore be a preferable alternative.
D. Internet Access Using Citation Management Software
Any University user with Z39.50-compliant software package such as EndNote or ProCite may configure it to connect to, search or download bibliographic and holdings data from the University of Chicago Library Catalog or other online resources that support Z39.50. The Library provides EndNote connection files and filters for the Catalog as well as other online resources.
For purposes of Internet access, a University Hospital staff member is an individual with a Ph computing account as established by the University of Chicago Hospitals' IS Security Administration Office. Any hospital staff member should contact that office at (773) 702-9440 for more information. The Ph computing account is equivalent to a campus computing account. Any University Hospital staff member who also holds a University of Chicago appointment and has a campus computing account does not also need a Ph computing account. Please click here for more information.
Internet access for this group is identical to Internet access for University faculty, students and staff.
V. University Alumni and Affiliates
University alumni; staff of affiliated institutions; faculty/student/staff spouses, domestic partners and dependents; and other, similarly qualified individuals generally have the same Internet access to the Library's online resources as those of the General Public or Other Academic Library Users.
Alumni are automatically eligible for physical access to the Library. Like all visitors, they may use public workstations--connected to the University network--for access to all of the Library's online resources.
Alumni may have email accounts through the University, but this is not a campus computing account. Therefore, alumni do not have remote access to the University network and cannot access the Library's restricted online resources (unless of course they visit the Library and use a public workstation).
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