Top tips for logging in to library databases from off campus
19/12/2019
We know that our databases can be confusing. They are all produced by different companies, they all have different interfaces, and some of them even look different depending on whether you are accessing them from on or off campus! This blog post is intended to give you some tips on how to access some of our key databases from off campus – very handy if you are leaving Cranfield over the Christmas break.
When you are on campus, most of our databases will recognise your location automatically. This means you don’t have to do anything else to prove you are a member of Cranfield University, and they will give you immediate access to the content. However, if you are off campus you need to follow a few extra steps to prove your identity and access our subscription.
Most of our databases require an OpenAthens log in. This means that once you have logged in to one resource using OpenAthens your details will be remembered across many other databases in the same session. You’ll still need to click on the correct log in option for each one to gain full access to it, but you won’t need to enter your details again. Once you sign out of your computer your session will end, and you will need to log in again next time you start a new session.
The main thing to remember is that you must access library resources from your library’s website via https://library.cranfield.ac.uk/. Do NOT use the extranet (VPN).
From your library homepage you can find database links in either ‘Databases A-Z’, or an appropriate subject guide. (The screenshot below shows the Kings Norton Library homepage. The layout is the same for the MIRC homepage but it uses the heading ‘Online business resources’ rather than ‘Subject guides’.)
These are our helpsheets for accessing the most popular databases from off campus:
Please let us know if there are others you need help with and we will grow the list!
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Thanks for all this information mam.