Offsite Access to Library Resources

OFFSITE ACCESS TO LIBRARY RESOURCES

The MLML/MBARI Research Library provides access to hundreds of electronic resources including databases, journals, articles, and ebooks. To access these resources when you're working remotely, please follow the directions below. If you have any issues please contact mlml-library@sjsu.edu  for assistance.

MBARI staff, researchers, and interns should connect to the MBARI VPN to remotely access library resources. Once you are connected to the VPN, you will be able to access resources as if you were onsite at MBARI with no additional login steps.

When you are first installing the VPN, you may need to adjust your settings as noted below:

  • Make sure your VPN options are set to route all traffic through the VPN (turn off "split tunnel")
  • See IS's MBARI VPN Information and Setup page on the Canyon Head for more information, especially the FAQ.
  • Mac users, you may need to reorder your network services following these steps:
    • On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Network
    • Click the Action pop-up menu, then choose Set Service Order
    • Drag services into the order you prefer, make sure VPN is first
    • Click OK, then click Apply to make the new settings active
    • Restart the VPN session after changing the settings
    • Test the link again to check if the VPN is now working
    • You may need to re-boot your computer to get these changes to go into affect.

 

Note: Some publishers have begun using IPv6 addresses, which don’t work well with the MBARI VPN. One solution to try is adjusting your home network settings as described here:

Mac

  • System Preferences > Network > Select your active network connection > click Advanced > TCP/IP > Change the Configure IPv6 to "Manually" and leave it blank (or you can try "Link-local only" if that doesn't work.
  • You may need to re-boot your computer to get these changes to go into affect.

Windows

  • Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings (on left hand side) > right click on Wi-Fi and click Properties > Check (enable) or uncheck (disable) the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) box > Click OK
  • You may need to re-boot your computer to get these changes to go into affect.

MLML students, staff, and faculty should use the program GlobalProtect to connect to the MLML VPN to remotely access library resources. This is the preferred offsite access method for MLML patrons. Once you are connected to the VPN, you will be able to access library resources as if you were onsite at MLML with no additional login steps.

Please see the MLML Knowledge Base page titled "Access the MLML Network using VPN" for instructions on how to install and operate GlobalProtect. If you are experiencing technical difficulties using the MLML VPN, please submit an iTicket using the IT Help Desk.

 

Note: Some publishers have begun using IPv6 addresses, which don’t work well with the MLML VPN client. One solution to try is adjusting your home network settings as described here:

Mac

System Preferences > Network > Select your active network connection > click Advanced > TCP/IP > Change the Configure IPv6 to "Manually" and leave it blank (or you can try "Link-local only" if that doesn't work.

Windows

Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings (on left hand side) > right click on Wi-Fi and click Properties > Check (enable) or uncheck (disable) the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) box > Click OK

In addition to the VPN, MLML also uses an authentication method called Shibboleth to provide offsite access to library materials. Most journals support this access method (see exceptions below). General instructions and an example including screenshots are provided below. Please note that our library does not use the Athens or OpenAthens method.

 

Journals Not Accessible via Shibboleth

While most of our journals are accessible offsite via Shibboleth, unfortunately Marine Ecology Progress Series and the Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada can only be accessed via the MLML VPN or while onsite. Please contact mlml-library@sjsu.edu  if you are offsite and need an article from either of these journals.

 

Shibboleth Instructions

Step 1: Navigate to the article, journal, database, or publisher site that you trying to access (e.g. Wiley, Science Direct, Springer, etc.)

Step 2: Click on the “log in” button (usually located in the upper right hand corner)

Step 3: From the log in screen, click on the button that says “Find my institution” or “Institutional log in”

Step 4: From the institutional log in screen, locate the “Log in with Shibboleth” section

Step 5: Some sites will ask for a federation or location (not all sites will include this step). If required, select the option that says some version of “U.S. – InCommon” or “InCommon” or “U.S. Higher Education”

Step 6: Select/type in “Moss Landing Marine Laboratories” to the institution box which should redirect you to the standard MLML log in screen.

Step 7: Enter your standard MLML username and password info (same log in used for the MLML Intranet and wifi networks). You should now have offsite access to all materials on that website that our library subscribes to. Please contact the library (mlml-library@sjsu.edu ) if you encounter any issues.

 

Shibboleth Example: Springer

Step 1: Navigate to the Springer website directly via this link or through Google Scholar or another research database

Step 2: Click the “Log in” button located in the upper right hand corner

Step 3: Click the “Log in via Shibboleth or Athens” button

Step 4: Start typing in “Moss Landing Marine Laboratories” to the Shibboleth box and our institution should be selected from the drop down box. If MLML does not appear then either our library does not subscribe to the journal or database you are trying to access or there is a technical issue. Please contact the library (mlml-library@sjsu.edu ) if this occurs and we will help you locate your research materials and look into the problem with the system.

Step 5: After clicking “Log in via Shibboleth” you will be redirected to the MLML login screen. Enter your standard MLML username and password information.

Step 6: Once you have successfully logged in to the MLML system you will be able to access all the same library materials you can access from onsite at MLML or MBARI. Please note that some pages will not show that you are personally “logged in” but will instead show that you have access via MLML or the California State University System. This is normal and you will still have full access.