Remote access to electronic resources

For off-campus access to electronic journals, article indexes and databases and other resources you will need:

• the last 11 digits of your ISUCard number
• your four-digit pin#

Set your Library pin#

How it works:

If you are off-campus when you click on a link on an e-Library page to a restricted resource, the library proxy server will present a page asking you to log in with the last 11 digits of your ISUCard number and your four-digit pin#. (Set your Library pin#)

The URL for the resource routes the request through the library proxy server, sending the proxy server's on-campus IP address to the vendor website and authenticating the user as someone at Iowa State University.

The proxy server will ask you to log in only once while your browser remains open. If you try to access another resource during the same session, you do not have to log in again.

Some databases are restricted to on-campus use only.

Get It @ ISU

Any time you see the Get It @ ISU button, click on it and it will help connect you to electronic full-text of an article, or see if we have the paper version of the journal in the library.

Common problems

1. If you did not get the e-Library proxy server login page and you cannot get access to the material, please check the following:
   • Are you using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to campus? If so, turn it off, as it causes your computer to bypass the library proxy server and send your own non-ISU-affiliated IP address to the vendor.
   • Do you have a firewall blocking the port that the proxy server uses (port 2048)? The port could be blocked because of a firewall on your computer, because you are inside a network with a firewall, because your internet service provider blocked it, or because of anti-virus software. Call the Solution Center at 515 294-4000 for help checking for port blocking.
2. Please check the dates on the e-Journals A-Z page, if you can access the journal but not a particular article, or try another link to the journal. A subscription to a particular journal might not cover all issues of the journal.
3. If you have had to replace your ISUCard, the last two digits have changed.
4. For other problems, please contact 515 294-1564.

Groups with remote access rights

1. ISU student (currently enrolled)
2. ISU faculty/staff (currently on ISU payroll)
3. Retired ISU faculty/staff
4. Visiting faculty/scholars (affiliated with an ISU dept./office)
5. Affiliated staff and departmental collaborators (not on ISU payroll)