Scenario 4: Library Type: school libraries
Authentication Options: IP, Single Sign On, and/or NebraskAccess passwords
If you have not already done so, please read NebraskAccess Linking and Authentication.
We have created additional customized database access pages for high school and elementary/middle school students. The Library Commission has implemented this customization on the NebraskAccess website and in the EBSCO account associated with NebraskAccess passwords. As a school library, you may also want to implement these customized options. How this is done will depend on your school’s setup. Below is a list of common authentication methods we believe school libraries may use to access the databases. Please read the options that apply to your school.
IP Authentication
Most schools provide IP authentication for students and staff who are using NebraskAccess at school. With the creation of the new database access pages, we have developed several options for IP authentication through the NebraskAccess site and associated links.
Schools now have the option to setup their IP authentication to limit their students to the databases available through a specific database access page. For example, an elementary school may choose to setup IP recognition to only allow their students to access the customized versions of the databases available through the Elementary/Middle School Databases access page. In this situation, staff members will be able to enter a NebraskAccess password on the
Databases Available to Nebraskans
page to access all of the available resources. In order to set up this type of IP authentication a school would need to provide us with the IP address(s) used by the building(s). If this is something you’d like to setup, please
send us an email. Please include your name, the school’s name, the school’s IP address(s) and which collection of databases you would like to access using IP recognition.
If the above IP authentication option will not work for your situation, we
have created other options that will allow schools using IP Authentication and
specific NebraskAccess links to direct students to databases customized to meet
their research needs. Since there are a number of variables involved in deciding
what option will work best for a school, please send us an email.
Schools that purchase additional EBSCO databases also have the option to setup a customized list of databases in EBSCO. We can explain how this can be done and help you with the process.
School libraries are not required to setup IP recognition to the databases. They may choose to use
NebraskAccess passwords in the school.
Over the next few months, Devra Dragos, Susan Knisely and Allana Novotny will be contacting school libraries that currently use IP recognition to visit about your authentication options. If you don’t want to wait for us to contact you, please
send us an email letting us know you’re ready to have this conversation. In your message, include your name, the name of your school and a list of the school’s current IP address(s). This information will help us prepare to talk with you.
Single Sign On (SSO)
Schools that use some type of Single Sign On (SSO) product maybe be able to configure it to work with EBSCO. For example, EBSCO recently announced that database authentication now works with
Clever. After everything is configured correctly, students will be able to access the EBSCO resources using their school-issued login credentials from within the Clever portal.
If you would like to setup or learn more about this option, please
send us an email and include the name of SSO product your school uses.
NebraskAccess Passwords
If your library hands out the NebraskAccess passwords, we recommend that you read the information about the three new NebraskAccess Passwords to learn more about them.
To add links on your website to the best NebraskAccess landing site(s) for your users, please see
Linking to NebraskAccess.
If you have questions, please contact Allana Novotny or Susan Knisely at
NebraskAccess.