Human Resources

Connect from off-campus

Proxy Bookmarklet

If you do your research off-campus, the proxy bookmarklet will give you access to library resources without having to come through the library website. 

What is it?

The proxy bookmarklet is a small application that allows you to reload a webpage through the library's proxy server.

Why is it useful?

You will probably come across subscription journal articles behind a paywall when searching or browsing off-campus, or even through clicking on notifications of journal articles from a publisher or database by email.  With the proxy bookmarklet, you can easily access paywalled content on the web without without having to backtrack to the library website.

How to use it?

To add the proxy bookmarklet to a desktop browser, left click and drag this link -- uO Proxy -- to the toolbar of your browser.  The next time you navigate to content that is behind a paywall, simply click on the bookmarklet to reload the page through the library's proxy server. This will prompt you to log in with you uOttawa credentials and then bring you back to the page you were viewing, but now logged-in with access from the library.

It takes a few more steps to use add the proxy bookmarklet to a mobile browser since we can't bookmark it directly. You will have to create a new a new bookmark and then edit it. First, bookmark any page, and note where your browser is saving it.  Next, copy this line of text:

javascript:void(location.href=%22https://login.proxy.bib.uottawa.ca/login?url=%22+location.href)

Go to the bookmarks folder and edit the bookmark you just created. Rename it uO Proxy (or something you will remember). You now need to edit the URL: delete anything already entered in he URL field, and paste in the javascript text you just copied.  Save it.  Now, whenever you want to reload a webpage through the library's proxy, go to the address bar of the same tab and start typing in uO Proxy (or whatever you called the bookmarklet) or javascript to bring up the bookmark as a suggested link, and then click on it. 

Issues?

  • Check the library catalogue to see if the content you want to access is covered by a uOttawa Library subscription, or verify our database or journal holdings -- it is possible that we don't have access to that particular resource.
  • Review the instructions for how to connect from off-campus and how to manage your uoAccess account and password. 
  • The proxy bookmarklet works best for academic articles -- it unfortunately won't work for some resources we must access through specific databases.
  • Don't hesitate to email me directly (allison.smith@uottawa.ca) and I'll try to help!

Google Scholar @ uOttawa

Do you use Google Scholar to find journal articles?

You can setup Google Scholar to link to the uOttawa Library

  1. Click on the three bars in the upper left corner, and then select the gear icon to set your Google Scholar preferences.
  2. In the section Library Links search for ottawa
  3. Checkmark the box beside University of Ottawa Library/Bibliothèque uOttawa - Omni@uOttawa
  4. Save your preferences

Now when you search in Google Scholar you will see a link labelled Omni@uOttawa.  By clicking on this link you can access the full text of the article if the library has a subscription to the journal in which it is published.

If you are off-campus you can access the article by using the Proxy Bookmarklet.