Electronic Resources can be accessed on or off-campus using the links from the library's website (https://westernu.libguides.com/az.php).  Off-campus (and UpToDate) users will be promoted to log in via EZProxy with their WesternU Network username (without @westernu.edu) and password.

If a user is having difficulty accessing a database, online article, or e-book, here are some questions to start with:

1. Are you a current student, faculty, or staff member?
2. Are you starting from the library's website?
3. Are you on or off-campus?
4. Are you using the correct password?
5. What resource (database, online article, e-book) are you trying to access?
6. Can you access any of our other resources?
7. What error message are you getting?
8. Try a different browser.
9. Try clearing cache.

1. Are you a current student, faculty, or staff member?

• Only current students, faculty, and staff are authorized to access the library's resources from off-campus.

• If they are a clinical faculty member, UHS resident, or OPTI-West resident, they need to request a username and password using this online form.

• Clinical faculty, UHS residents, and OPTI-West residents also have restrictions on what resources they can access. See library services pages for Clinical Faculty, UHS residents, and OPTI-West for more information.

2. Are you starting from the library's website, or using a link with the proxy prefix?

• When off-campus, users must use links that include the proxy prefix to access our resources.

• If the user isn't starting from the library's website, the links should include the proxy prefix, which looks like this: http://proxy.westernu.edu/login?url=http://www.sample.com.

3. Are you on or off-campus?

• If off-campus, were they successfully able to log in to the EZProxy page?

• FYI- all COMP-NW students are considered "off-campus"

4. Are you using the correct password? 

• For Clinical Faculty, UHS residents, and OPTI-West users, see the Advanced Troubleshooting page.

• If they are unable to log in to the proxy, have them try logging in to ILLiad (https://westernu.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/logon.html).

• Make sure they are entering their username without '@westernu.edu'

• If they are unable to log in to ILLiad, they are most likely using the wrong username or password.

• Users will need to contact Tech Support (techsupport@westernu.edu or ext. 5432) to reset their password.

5. What resource (database, online article, e-book) are you trying to access?

• If they are having problems with UpToDate, see the Advanced Troubleshooting page.

• Does the library have a subscription to the resource they are trying to access?

• Check for e-books and e-journals using Full Text Finder. Take note of the date ranges we have for e-journals.

• Databases will be listed on the Electronic Resources page.

• Are you able to access the resource they are having trouble with? If they are trying to access an online article and you can access it, please send them the link (use the Permalink generator to create a stable link with the proxy prefix) and continue trying to troubleshoot.

6. Can you access any of our other resources?

• If you have already determined it is not a password issue, have them try to access another database on our Electronic Resources page.

7. What error message are you getting?

• Have them send a screenshot, if possible.

8. Try a different browser.

• Local browser settings could prevent some electronic resources from opening properly and some databases only work in certain browsers.

    – Visible Body does not work in Internet Explorer

9. Try clearing cache.

• Have the user clear their browser's cache, cookies, and history. If they do not know how to do this, here is a webpage that will show them how: https://www.pcmag.com/article/333441/how-to-clear-your-cache-on-any-browser.

• Once everything is cleared, have them close their browser and try again.

If you are unable to help the user gain access to the resource, you will need to refer the problem for advanced troubleshooting.

If no one in Reference is currently available, email the following information to reference@westernu.edu AND libsupport@westernu.edu:

1. User's name and email
2. What resource they are trying to access (be specific).
3. What error message they are getting, if any. Print screens of the error are helpful.
4. What browser they are using (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, etc.)
5. Any other information you think will be helpful.

Tell the user that you are forwarding the issue and that someone will be in contact with them.