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Accessing full-text e-journals: do I need a password?

On-campus

When on-campus you will not need to login to access the full-text of many of our e-journals, as the IP address of your computer identifies you as being at the University of Reading. Where a login is required, you just need to use your University username and password.

Off-campus

If you are off-campus you will need to login via the University's Online Resources Single Sign On page to show that you are from University of Reading. Once you have reached the E-resources login page enter your University username and password (the same one you use to login to Blackboard or to the computers on campus). By authenticating yourself you will then be given access to full-text articles in our e-journals.

Accessing e-journals via the Library catalogue, Summon, Reading lists, E-journals Finder or Item Finder

If you access e-journals from the Library's systems you will mostly be taken directly to the Online Resources Single Sign On page upon trying to access them. Just enter your University username and password to login. Where this doesn't happen you will need to look for login option on the host site (see below).

Accessing e-journals via a search engine or directly via the Internet

If you access e-journals via a route other than the ones given above (or the Single Sign On page does not appear automatically) you will need to follow a more complex route to login and gain access to our subscribed titles.

  1. Look for a 'Login' option
  2. Look for the 'Institutional login', 'UK Federation' or 'Shibboleth' login link (do NOT use the OpenAthens option)
  3. You may need to select a Federation - select 'UK Access Management Federation'
  4. Select 'University of Reading' from the list of institutions
  5. You should then be taken to the Online Resources Single Sign On page where you enter your University username and password to access any subscribed content.
  6. Please note that although you may be able to view abstracts for all the articles published in journals on a publisher's website, you will only be able to access the full-text of articles covered by our subscriptions. So if you are unable to access the article or journal you require, search for the title on the E-journals Finder to see if it is covered by our subscriptions. If it isn't covered, check the Library catalogue for any print access.

Further guidance

Problems?

If you have any problems accessing our e-journals please fill in the E-resources problem report form