E-Library
As well as the many physical resources, books, journals and DVDs etc, available in the Library, we also provide access to a wealth of electronic resources. These include databases, journals and ebooks. Access to these resources has been bought by the Library through subscription and is limited to current staff and students. Access is dependent on authentication based on your Brunel network ID and password.FAQs
How do I log in?
Logging on via the Library home page
On the Library home page choose the "Login to e-library" link at the top left of the page. Type in your Brunel network username and password.
The username is the same one you use to login to the University computers, e.g.: me12ikb (you do not need to prefix your username with the domain and a backslash any more).
The password is the same one that you use to login to the University computers (it is not your student ID number). Contact computing-support@brunel.ac.uk (Library ground floor) if you need help with your Brunel network username and password, or use Brunel's Password Portal to reset it.
Resources that require a separate password
Some resources are not compatible with the normal login system and require a separate username and password. There are links to our password list for all such databases and journals on the relevant database and e-journal pages. The full list of passwords can also be seen on our "Password protected resources" page. To access the password page you will need to login to the University Intranet using your network username and password.
For off-campus access, most of our links will give you access to the resources. You may also use Find It, our single search software. You should not need to use the Virtual Private Network (VPN) any more, but this is still available. For more information on how to download the AnyConnect VPN Universal application and install it on your personal computer, visit the Computer Centre's Connect portal and select Service Package.
For wireless access on campus, make a wifi connection to the signup4wifi network. Register your laptop computer by following the instructions at the Connect portal to set up wireless access on Wifi@Brunel. Contact the Connect team through the Connect portal, or visit the Connect clinic (opening times are given in the Connect portal) in the foyer of the Bannerman Centre if you encounter any problems with wireless access.
Alternative access to resources
You may search across several resources at the same time using Summon, our single search software, on the Library's home page. Follow the instructions above for logging in to the e-Library. If you find you cannot connect to an electronic resource then it could be that a firewall is blocking access to the e-Library. In such cases, please try our "Alternative" links - look below the description for each database on our Databases web page - also read the following sections...
How do I use the e-library off campus?
To access resources off-campus, first you will need to ensure you have logged into the Library website as described in the section above. Then use the links the Library provides for e-journals, e-books or databases - you should not need to log in again during the first two hours. However, for a few resources, you may need to click on a link to prompt the website to search for your login details at a publisher’s website (hint: look for “Brunel” on the site, if you can’t see it then you will probably need to log in). Each resource may use different text, e.g. Login, Institutional login, Academic login, Shibboleth, UK Access Management Federation, etc. This link may be on the main page, or you may need to click on a login link to see the login options. NB: Except for a few NHS-commissioned Health Sciences courses, Brunel does not use the Athens Access Management System - do not try to connect via this service.
Can I use the e-library from Blackboard Learn?
You may find that lecturers provide links to Library resources from Blackboard Learn. In order to use these links you should ensure that you have logged into the Library website as described in the section above.
Problems accessing resources
You may occasionally encounter problems with access to resources. This could be because:
- there are temporary problems with the university computer network
try again later following the procedures for logging into the e-library, above - there may be a problem with an individual resource
consult the information column in the Databases A-Z - there may a problem with your University network account
if you have followed the login procedures and the instructions above and have still been unsuccessful, you may use the Password Portal to reset your password. If that doesn't work, you may need to contact computing-support@brunel.ac.uk (Library ground floor). - you are off campus and your workplace or library firewall blocks access to port 2048
- if you run up against this sort of problem try removing this string of characters from the URL address:
".v-ezproxy.brunel.ac.uk:2048" so that, for example, "http://www.jstor.org.v-ezproxy.brunel.ac.uk:2048/action/showPublication?journalCode=jae&" becomes "http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=jae&" (or, another example, remove "https://v-ezproxy.brunel.ac.uk/login?url=" from "https://v-ezproxy.brunel.ac.uk/login?url=http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/archive" so that it becomes just "http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/archive",
then try to find an institutional login link to login via the UK Federation
Our entity is: "Brunel University" - NB: we stopped using Athens from August, 2010 - your browser settings are blocking access...
Check your browser's settings:
- is it enabled to accept cookies?
- is the pop-up blocker setting preventing a pop-up from opening?
- do you have a toolbar which may block access, e.g.: Google toolbar, Yahoo toolbar?
Still no access? We recommend that you try using a different browser, eg:
- Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Opera
- or Safari - please note that sometimes this browser fails to complete the login procedure at an e-resource, e.g.: MyiLibrary. If so, we recommended that you switch to Firefox.
What can I access from the e-library?
The e-Library provides access to the e-journals, e-books, and databases.
- Summon - searches simultaneously across books, journals, journal articles. This can be a good starting point when deciding which resource to search on.
- e-Books - most e-books are indexed on the Library Catalogue, marked as [electronic resource].
- e-Journals - access to full text journal titles to which the Library subscribes (check the dates carefully, we may not subscribe to the year you need!)
- Databases - search across collections of journal articles, electronic books and other material. The A-Z list of Databases is useful when you know which resource you want to use. Otherwise it is recommended that you consult the Subject pages
Are the resources free?
You should not need to pay to access any of the resources because the Library has already paid a subscription. This means that they are free to staff and students at the point of use.
What do I do if the e-Library does not have what I need?
First, check the Library catalogue to find out if what you need is available in print. The Library will normally try to get hold of material recommended on your reading lists. If you are an undergraduate, the Library will hold most, if not all, of the material you need to consult.
If you are a postgraduate or researcher, you may want to make use of resources we do not have in stock. In this instance, you may wish to:
- consult your Subject Liaison Librarian, to discuss alternative sources
- request the item via inter library loan, a charge is made for this service
- consider using other libraries
Where can I get further help?
- For advice about academic skills, visit the Academic Skills Centre (ASK) area on the ground floor of the Library for specialist help
- For subject specific guidance you may need to contact your Subject Liaison Librarian for support via phone or email, or to make an appointment.
Copyright
You have access to several copyright resources through the e-Library and your use is governed by copyright law and licensing regulations and by additional terms and conditions set by the copyright owners or their agents. You must ensure that your use complies with these as well as the Brunel Acceptable Computer Use Policy.
Use of resources is for your personal educational use only. For information on permitted uses of copyright material for learning and teaching, see our copyright advice pages.
