Q. What is meant by VPN and do I need this to access Library eResources?

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is used to establish a secure link from a remote computer to services at the University. The University has updated their VPN service to enhance efficiency and security.

When you’re working on campus many suppliers of online material recognise that you’re associated with the University (as students or staff) from your computer’s IP address. This means that even if you are not logged into MUSE or using StarPlus you will often be granted access to online books, journals and databases directly from their websites.

When you are working away from the University and off campus, suppliers do not know you are a member of the University.

The most reliable way of accessing material off campus is to log in to MUSE and find the material you need through StarPlus so that suppliers know you are a member of the University.

Please do not use a VPN to access journals or other online material. It isn’t necessary and will in some cases prevent access to resources you are entitled to as a member of the University.

Other ways to access journals and other online material

LibKey Nomad is a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge that will give you access to journal articles that we subscribe to, as well as open access papers, when you’re browsing the web. You can download and install it on your computer for free from the LibKey Nomad webpage.

Google Scholar can be set up to show links to journal papers that are included in our subscriptions. To do so, follow the guidance on the library’s Google Scholar webpage.

Web of Science, Scopus and other literature searching databases can be used to search the published literature. When accessing these via the University webpages or StarPlus, you’ll be prompted to log into MUSE if you haven’t already done so. You will then be able to access any content you find that is included in our subscriptions. Visit our A-Z list or the Library subject guides to explore the databases available to you.

BrowZine offers an alternative way to browse our subscribed journal content via a mobile device. The BrowZine app is available for download from the Apple or Google stores. There is also a web version. BrowZine is a good way to keep up to date with the latest issues of your preferred journals. However it is not designed for literature searching, for which we would recommend tools such as StarPlus or a literature searching database. More information on BrowZine.

See also:

Information on using StarPlus