To ensure that researchers can effectively access ACS Publications content while off-campus, ACS Publications is enabling remote access via federated authentication (commonly known as “Shibboleth”) for institutions. This effort is consistent with the recommendations in the ICOLC Statement on the Global COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Library Services and Resources. In these rapidly changing […]
To ensure that researchers can effectively access ACS Publications content while off-campus, ACS Publications is enabling remote access via federated authentication (commonly known as “Shibboleth”) for institutions. This effort is consistent with the recommendations in the ICOLC Statement on the Global COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Library Services and Resources. In these rapidly changing times, it is more important than ever that your students, faculty, and staff have options to easily access ACS Publications content remotely.
As we’ve all made this epic shift, institutions around the world have reported network capacity problems. Federated authentication is a solution to the burdens institutions experience on their VPNs and a way that members of subscribing universities can continue to access ACS Publications content.
What is federated authentication?
Federated authentication delivers content directly from the publisher to the user working off-campus. It relies on your university’s network only for a user login, and therefore uses minimal network capacity. Conversely, other remote access options, such as VPN servers or proxy servers, often require downloads to pass through your university’s network infrastructure before they are delivered to your patrons working remotely.
With federated authentication, users log in through ACS Publications’ site to access articles without having to use their university VPN.
What other access options are available?
Remote Device Pairing
ACS Publications has also enabled support for device pairing, allowing a laptop, tablet, or smartphone to pair with your institutional subscription for use while off-campus. The device pairing must be done while you are connected to a recognized campus/corporate network. However, VPN connections should allow pairing to work. Paired devices can access subscribed content regardless of physical location for four months.
Google CASA
ACS Publications has enabled Google CASA (Campus Activated Subscriber Access). This enables direct links to “acs.org” in Google Scholar search results. These links will take users directly to the full text regardless of their physical location.
Expanded remote access options are a key effort to ensure that our global community of researchers and scientists are properly supported in these uncertain times. Please visit this resource page to stay up to date with ACS Publications remote access options for your institution.