Technical Support > Guide to Setting Up Access
A brief guide to setting up access to your EPIC databases
There are three parts setting up access to your databases:
Authentication - selecting a way to log in
Your EPIC licence requires that you ensure that all users are authorised to access the EPIC resources (see also Acceptable Use ) . This means you have to enable an authentication system for logging your users in. Below are the range of options available to you. You can talk these options over with the EPIC Manager at any time. She’s there to help.In-Library Access
For in-library access the following authentication options will be most useful.
An IP address is the unique address for your computer network. Your technical staff should know what this is. It will look something like this: 123.123.123.123 or maybe a range of numbers like this: 123.123.1-26.
When you try to access the databases from a computer that sits with in this range it will recognise that you are a subscriber to the database and will let you through without a password. The IP address(es) need to be static - that is, it mustn't change from day to day. If your IP address is dynamic (ie it changes day to day) then there are other options we can use, including:
Referring URL authentication provides access to the databases from a secure page (such as an intranet page) that you must log in to access. We register the URL of that page and the databases will recognise you’ve come from a secure and approved site. If you try to log in from a different URL, the databases will not let you in.
Remote Access
All EPIC vendors offer a range of authentication options for accessing the databases outside your organisation. These include:
Most of the vendors will allow you to assign your own user id and passwords for accessing the databases.
This authentication allows access via a library card or bar code number. This is most useful for public libraries. We can register the pattern of your membership number and the databases will then recognise that pattern when your users login. For example if your membership is always 11 characters and always begins with ‘ABCD1’ you will be able to log in with ABCD1123456
Using your own authentication system.
The advantage of using the databases' authentication options is that you do not need to install the system onto your own network. A disadvantage is that your users may have to authenticate more than once if they want to move from e-resource to e-resource.
If you have technical support and expertise available you might like to investigate whether your library management system has an authentication module that you can implement. Or you could explore the possibility of “pass through proxy systems” such as Libproxy or EZproxy
Discuss these options with your technical staff or contact epic@epic.org.nz for further advice.
Making them available
To making the databases available you need to make the database URL available some how. You can put it on a Web or intranet page or you could simply bookmark it on your browser. If you don't have the facilities to develop a Web page email epic@epic.org.nz to ask about developing an EPIC page like this.
What URLS do I Use?
This page lists the URLS for all of the EPIC databases.
Note that you may need to use different links for the different types of authentication that you are using. This is so the database will recognise whether you want to login with a membership number pattern or by userid and password etc…
Email epic@epic.org.nz for answers to any questions you might have about these links.
Designing your database access page
Make sure you have an obvious link to e-resources on your library home page. But be careful with the librarian-ese! ‘E-resources’ or ‘Databases’ might not mean anything to your users.
Some other suggestions are:
- Research Databases
- Subject Databases
- Magazines & Journals Online
- Online Resources
You may also want to provide a brief description of each databases so that your users know why each might be useful– for example:
Health and Wellness Resource Centre - Magazines, journals, newspapers, definitions, directories, and information on health and health issues.
Don't reinvent the wheel! Here are some descriptions that you may like to use. Also check out what other libraries have done. Here are a few to get you started:
University of Canterbury Education Library
Tasman District Libraries
Dunedin Public Libraries
Otorohanga Library
(this is an example of a page the EPIC could provide for you – if you are interested in one for your library contact epic@epic.org.nz).
Acceptable Use
As a part of each EPIC member library’s obligation to take ‘reasonable precautions’ to limit usage of the databases to use allowed by the Terms and Conditions of your agreement with NLNZ, it is strongly recommended that you consider displaying the following statement on any Web page or document that provides access to the EPIC Resources:
Please Note - By following the links [on the document or web page] you agree that:
"These databases are protected by copyright. They are provided by [library name] for use by individuals who are registered [library name] staff and patrons for the purposes of personal use or for research in a corporate, business, academic or government setting. By accessing these databases you agree to these terms and conditions of usage. Your continued access to and usage of these databases indicates your agreement to abide by these terms and conditions."
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