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Database Access Help

A guide to accessing electronic resources at UTC.

Access Basics

  • Access to UTC Library electronic resources is only available for current UTC students (registered for classes), faculty, and staff.
  • Users must log in with UTC ID/password.
  • Database address should include “proxy.lib.utc.edu” regardless of whether you’re on or off campus.
  • Unfortunately, due to vendor licensing restrictions, UTC alumni and community users cannot access our electronic resources from off-campus.
  • New alumni and students not registered for classes in the following semester will lose access to UTC eResources the day after final exams end.

Troubleshooting Tips

Start on the Library Website

Always access our databases via the UTC Library Website. This ensures that you are authenticated as a UTC user. Bypassing the Library website could result in a paywall preventing you from accessing the article/ebook/video that the Library has already paid for. ​​​​​​

Try Another Browser

Try using a different browser. Some platforms respond better on either Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. We do not recommend using Internet Explorer.

Clear your Cache

Clear your browser's cache. Completely clearing your browser’s cache/cookies/history and restarting your computer often solves access problems. See the below links for specific instructions by browser type.

Warning: clearing this data will permanently remove saved usernames/passwords, website preferences not connected to personal accounts, browsing history, etc.

Be Careful How You Bookmark

If you bookmark a database or journal, be sure to use the links given on the Library's web site and not the URL in the browser's address bar. More information about creating links that will work in the future can be found on our linking guide.

More Troubleshooting Tips

Check your Internet Connection. Some workplace networks block users from accessing our electronic resources for security reasons. When you’re having an access issue, try connecting with your cellphone’s data plan (not WIFI) to determine whether it’s a problem with the previous internet connection.

Full-text Linking Failures. Sometimes you won’t be able to link from an article citation to the full text and you’ll usually see an error message on the platform. Try these steps:

  1.  Oftentimes, full-text for a journal is available from more than one database. Manually search for the journal via Journals A-Z Search.

  2. Use details from the citation to browse for the article you need. Publication year, volume/issue, article title, and page numbers can be helpful. 

Sometimes databases (like those from EBSCO, ProQuest, Gale) have gaps in their full-text content (particularly journal issues). Causes could include publisher embargo periods (see definition in the glossary), not receiving content from publishers, production problems, or not having rights.

If you cannot find the article but think it should be in the database please let us know so we can look and then contact the vendor if needed.

Resources Requiring Individual Accounts

Databases with Simultaneous User Limits

Please log out of these databases when finished!

  • Mental Measurements Yearbook & Tests in Print (4 users)
  • MRI/Mediamark Reporter (5 users)
  • Naxos Music Library (10 users)
  • Social Work Abstracts (4 users)
  • SportDiscus with Full Text (4 users)
  • IEEE/IET Electronic Library (50 users)
  • A limited number of ebooks on ProQuest and EBSCO

eBooks

The majority of ebooks available at UTC offer unlimited simultaneous user access. 

Some ebooks from ProQuest and EBSCO have digital rights management which can limit the amount that can be downloaded, copied, printed, etc. each day. These limitations depend on the publisher and title. 

Streaming Video Playback

Some streaming video platforms do not support the Apple Safari web browser. 

  • Alexander Street for a subset of videos (mostly Sony)
  • Swank does not support playback of any videos in Safari on the Mac

Glossary

Databases Page: Our Databases Page is a searchable/browsable list of the majority of our licensed databases.

Authentication: To have your identity verified. You must be authenticated as a UTC user on different platforms to gain access to UTC licensed electronic resources. If you are on campus, your IP authenticates you by location. If you are off-campus, you may need to sign in using your UTC ID and Password to access content.

Bookmark: A stored location for quick retrieval at a later date. Web browsers provide bookmarks that contain the addresses (URLs) of favorite sites. You may have a bookmarks toolbar on your browser.

Browser: A web browser is program with a user interface for interacting with the world wide web. For example, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox are all different browsers.

Cache: A temporary storage area in memory or on disk that holds the most recently downloaded Web pages. You may need to clear your cache occasionally to clear your browser's memory. 

Content: We use the term content to describe library materials like journals, ejournals, books, ebooks, streaming video, articles, newspapers, etc.

Embargo/Moving Wall: some publishers delay full-text access to the latest issues of their journals in databases from JSTOR, ProQuest, EBSCO, and Gale. These delays can range from a month to 6 years. As time passes, more issues are usually added for a journal with an embargo. In our “Quick Search” catalog, these delays will be indicated under the available dates in the blue “View Online” section (e.g. “Most Recent 1 Year Not Available”).

eResource: Any library material that is accessed electronically including databases, online journals, ebooks, and streaming media.

IP: Internet Protocol is a communication protocol that enables networking on the internet.

IP Address: Internet Protocol address is a number assigned to every device on any computer network that uses internet protocol to communicate. For example, your personal computer has its own IP Address.

Platform: Basic hardware and software on which applications are run. For example, ProQuest Ebook Central is a platform where we can access ebooks licensed by ProQuest.

Proxy Server: : All traffic to our library electronic resources is routed through the proxy server. Regardless of whether you’re on or off-campus, you will need to log in with your UTC ID and password. If you’re already logged in with your UTC ID in the same browser, then you should not have to log in again to access library databases.

Simultaneous User Limits: The number of UTC users who can access a database at the same time. The vast majority of UTC electronic resources allow unlimited simultaneous users but there are a few exceptions.

Vendor: A vendor is a company that we purchase or license content from. We acquire content from many vendors like ProQuest, Taylor & Francis, EBSCO, Elsevier, etc.

How to Report a Problem

1. Go to:

2. Chat, email or call the Library

3. Provide as much information about the problem including:

  • Any specific error messages
  • Steps taken before problem happened
  • Operating system and browser versions
  • Screenshots

4. Include Your UTC ID, name, and email or phone number so we follow up

We try to respond to problem reports as soon as possible during weekdays. Depending on the problem, it might be resolved by Library staff or we may have to contact the vendor’s support for them to fix it, which can take a while. 

Regardless of the cause of the problem, we’ll try to get you the information you need as soon as possible. 

Ask a Librarian
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