Shenandoah University Libraries

Quirks, Issues and Solutions

Checklist for Electronic Access to Library Resources

 

Situation: You are having difficulty connecting to the library's electronic databases and journals from your personal computer. The following are possible issues:

 

  1. When you are prompted by the proxy server for a username and password, make sure you are using your correct university network username and password. If you do not know your university username and password, please contact the library.

 

  1. If you can get past the proxy login, are you still having problems? If so, the problem may be with the remote site. Please contact the library for assistance.

 

  1. Can you connect to other websites outside of the library? If not, that is a sign that the problem may be other than with the library. You may have a network issue, a problem with your Internet Service Provider, or with your computer.

 

  1. Can you connect to other web pages at SU? Again, if you cannot connect to other SU web pages, your problem may be more extensive than we can solve. See #3.

 

  1. Do you have current versions of browser and PDF software? Some sites require current versions in order to function properly. Here are links to websites where free software is available:

Internet Explorer: www.microsoft.com

Netscape: www.netscape.com

Safari: www.apple.com

Firefox and Mozilla: www.mozilla.com

Adobe Acrobat Reader: www.adobe.com

 

  1. Is the your browser set to "enable cookies"? The proxy server and most library database sites require that cookies be enabled, which is a feature controlled under the browser Preferences (Internet options).

 

  1. Do you have computer virus protection and are the virus definitions up-to-date? Viruses can cause generalized computer problems.

 

  1. Does your computer have protection from spyware? Spyware can hijack your browser and make web connections problematic. Get a free copy of Ad-aware SE from www.Lavasoftusa.com.

 

  1. Are you trying to access journal titles from Extensa? Some publishers require that pop-up blockers on your browser be disabled so that PDF files can be read. In addition, some anti-virus software will block pup-ups. This can be set with your browser preferences.

 

 

Question: How do I view the library password page?

 

Answer: The password page can be found at http://www.su.edu/library/passwords/remote.htm. You will be prompted for a username and password, which is not your university username and password. Call the library 1-877-289-4611 (toll-free) for the access information to the password page. When you type the username, it should be preceded by "suweb\", i.e "suweb\xxxxxxxx".

 

Question: Last month (for example) I was able to connect to a certain online journal and now I am unable to connect. What gives?

 

Answer: Some of the online publishers are in the process of changing the URLs for their products, but the library does not always know in advance that changes are being made. Library staff may need to contact the publisher about our subscription. Please notify library staff so we can arrange to fix the problem.