As we all get into the swing of working from home, one thing to know about ZSR’s electronic journals and books is that, usually, they require an on-campus network connection, or something that gives you an on-campus address from home: the University’s VPN, for example, or ZSR links that route you through an on-campus proxy server (links from the ZSR library catalog, Find a Journal, or Find a Database services will provide this).

We continue to recommend the VPN and ZSR’s proxy links as the most reliable ways to get to all content that ZSR licenses for WFU scholars. However, we recognize that people sometimes find other routes to research materials, and we wanted to provide some notes on alternative access methods.

Over the past week, several publishers have moved forward with technologies to assist scholars working off campus, without requiring any VPN or proxy connection. There are two main tools at work here.

Google Scholar CASA

If you have used Google Scholar from on campus, or via a VPN connection, within the last 30 days, then it will continue to associate your device with WFU, even when it is off campus. Multiple publishers work with Google Scholar to accept this as authentication for access. In other words, using the same device (and browser) that you used on campus, you can continue to follow links from Google Scholar to full text at publisher sites, and get access to that full text. Other than using Google Scholar one time from an on-campus or VPN connection, there is nothing else you need to do: Google Scholar will automatically show links for publishers that support CASA.

These publishers are known to support CASA (please comment below if you know of others):

  • Springer Nature
  • JSTOR
  • Proquest
  • Gale
  • IGI Global
  • ACM
  • Sage
  • AIP
  • Elsevier
  • Project Muse
  • Highwire Press
  • IngentaConnect
  • Wiley
  • Taylor and Francis
  • Annual Reviews
  • American Physiological Society
  • APA (American Psychological Association)

Login With Your WFU Account

Publishers are also working to support access that allows you simply to log in at the publisher’s site, using your WFU account and password. This uses the same Single Sign-On page you’re already familiar with for services like GMail, Workday, and Canvas.

A forthcoming service, called SeamlessAccess, has recently gone live on the Nature.com site. This features a prominent blue box labelled “Access through your institution” (or “Access through Wake Forest University” if you have recently used the service). That prompts you to start typing your school’s name, then links you to the sign-on screen, which may only require you to click your WFU account name, and takes you back to the publisher site with access granted.

Other publisher sites have similar ways to get access with your WFU account. To log in, look for links such as “Get Access”, “Find My Institution” or “Log in via Shibboleth.” (Note that some publishers also have a separate, different “Login” prompt for personal accounts on their site. These will not grant access to full text.) Each provider will have different wording. You should be able to search by institution. Once you’ve found, “Wake Forest University,” you will be forwarded to the authentication page where you enter your WFU credentials. Publishers offering this to WFU include:

  • ACS Publications: In the upper right hand corner of every page is a “Find my institution” link. Search for Wake Forest University and enter your credentials. Once logged in, select “ACS Publications” in the upper left hand corner.
  • JSTOR: JSTOR’s home page includes a “Log in through your library” link, and individual articles will prompt, “Try logging in through your institution for access.”
  • Project MUSE: All pages include an “Institutional Login” link in the header bar; select “Shibboleth,” “United States,” and then WFU.
  • ScienceDirect (Elsevier): Article PDF links will show a “Get Access” link. On the following page, choose, “Sign In Through Your Institution” and “Other Institution”.
  • Cell.com: Click a full text link, then scroll down to “Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect.” Follow the steps for ScienceDirect, above.
  • Springer Nature
    • For the SpringerLink site, click “Log in” in the page header, then “Login using Shibboleth or Athens”, and then “Select your institution” under Shibboleth.
    • For Nature.com, see the note about SeamlessAccess above.
  • Wiley: Click the full text link, then “Institutional Login”, “Select your region”, “U.S. (InCommon)”, then WFU.
  • JoVE videos: Click the Login button, then “Continue with Shibboleth” [Added 3/27/2020]

Note: WFU does not subscribe to every journal at every publisher site. Logging in will only provide access to content we license for use.

We will add and revise entries as needed.