EZproxy Primer

This session provides an introduction to proxy servers with examples using EZproxy.  The goal is for reference librarians, or others with limited technology background, to get an overview in order to coordinate efficiently with electronic resources staff and with vendors, quickly route connection issues to the right person, and allow patrons to seamlessly connect to online resources.
 
Coverage will be:
 
1/3 will cover background on how remote connections to databases work.  You will see a demonstration of how IP addresses show your location, how databases use this to determine that someone is accessing from on your campus, and how the proxy server lets a user show a campus location to a database even from off campus. 
 
1/3 will cover the nuts and bolts of how EZ Proxy works, in the form of a "cookbook" and demonstrate some neat tricks you can implement at home including: (1) posting CALI registration codes and other registration or install codes online and requiring a login for these even from on campus, so the information can be securely delivered through a public webpage, and (2) restricting access for some resources to faculty or librarians only, but not to students.
 
1/3 will cover troubleshooting a database connection problem, and provide a simple troubleshooting flow chart.  The goal is to allow all librarians to quickly determine where the connection issue occurred, in order to know who to report the issue to:  a problem (1) with the link to the database, which means the webmaster should edit the link, (2) in the proxy server configuration, which means you contact your main campus electronic resources department, or (3) in the database not recognizing the connection, which means you contact the vendor. 
 
This will recap and tie together what you learned, and allow for questions and answers or brainstorming about how confident control over who has access to library resources can improve service to patrons.
 
 
Presenter:  Wilhelmina Randtke, Electronic Services Librarian, St. Mary's University School of Law, San Antonio, TX.