New trial offers remote access to library e-resources through a single browser

  • A man and a woman with face coverings, working on their laptops
August 16, 2021

Yale students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in a six-month trial of Lean Library Access, a tool that enables researchers to seamlessly access the library’s electronic resources through one convenient browser extension, no matter where their search begins. 

Designed specifically for off-campus use, the tool enables users to bypass possible dead-ends or paywalls by connecting them directly to Yale Library’s subscribed e-collections.

While off-campus access to e-resources will still be accessible via Yale’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) or through direct links on the library’s website, Lean Library Access gives researchers the freedom to start their search from anywhere on the web. All that is required is the one-time installation of a browser extension. Researchers can then go to a site where Yale has subscribed resources, be prompted to log in, and connect immediately. This authentication will last for the remainder of their browser session and grant access to multiple databases without having to sign in to each separately.

For example, if an off-campus researcher wants to locate a scholarly article, they might begin their search in Google Scholar. The result shows that the full-text article is in JSTOR, but in order to access it, they have to sign in to JSTOR via an institutional account or return to the library website and find a Yale-specific link. With the browser extension installed, Lean Library Access will recognize that Yale subscribes to JSTOR and automatically prompt the researcher to log in and gain full access. 

 “Lean Library Access makes it convenient for researchers to access Yale’s e-resources from wherever they start their work,” Angela Sidman, director of Electronic Resources and Serials Management said. “This trial period is a great opportunity for the Yale community to try the browser extension and let the library know how it works for them.”

For the trial period, users are required to register via the Lean Library Access form. In order to establish if this will be a permanent service going forward, a survey inviting feedback will be sent to all participants at the end of the trial.

Contact Ask Yale Library with any questions about Lean Library Access.