Q: Why did we change services?
A: OpenAthens replaces EZproxy, offering a more secure, reliable and flexible service and will reduce the frustrating ‘Pay for full text’ limitations you experienced when attempting to access resources directly using the previous service. This should resolve many of the "proxy error" access issues that users have experienced before. Almost all resources have migrated to OpenAthens. To avoid broken links, please update your permalinks to "Athenized Links". Instructions are shown below.
Q: What is different?
A: In most cases, nothing. You will be prompted to sign in with your CVTC credentials for the first resource you access. In some cases, depending on how you arrived at your resource, you will need to look for an OpenAthens or Institutional sign-in option. Search for Chippewa Valley Technical College in ‘Find your organization/institution’. The CVTC sign-in screen will then display for you to sign in.
*Please note that embedding Films on Demand content is now only available through the the Films on Demand app in Canvas.*
Q: Will the OpenAthens sign-in link/screen look the same for all resources?
A: No, it will be resource specific and not all resources utilize it. Look for sign-in or login links, usually in the top right corner, choose OpenAthens if an option, then choose Chippewa Valley Technical College. If you don’t see "OpenAthens" try the "Institutional" option.
Q: Will OpenAthens remember me, if I use another device or different browser?
A: OpenAthens uses cookies to remember your device’s IP address. If you change web services – from Firefox to Chrome for example – you will be asked to sign in again. Additionally, if you change devices, for example from a laptop to a mobile, you will be asked to sign in again.
Q: How do I know if EZProxy is used in my bookmark, permalink, or URL?
A: Your link will contain “proxy.cvtc.edu/login?url=”, like in these examples:
https://proxy.cvtc.edu/login?url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlayLists.aspx?wid=239196
https://proxy.cvtc.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsebk&AN=2652169&site=eds-live&scope=site
Q: How do I update my older bookmark, permalink, or URL?
A: You can copy/paste direct database links from the library's A-Z Databases listing. For article, eBook, or video links you will need to do the following to generate an “Athenized link”.
Take your current link, delete the current proxy prefix, and enter the clean link into the OpenAthens Link Generator Tool.
For example, you would take a current Films on Demand link:
https://proxy.cvtc.edu/login?url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlayLists.aspx?wid=239196
and delete the proxy, leaving: https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlayLists.aspx?wid=239196
Enter this link:
https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlayLists.aspx?wid=239196
into the redirector link generator to create the new Athenized – and encoded – link:
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/cvtc.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffod.infobase.com%2FPortalPlayLists.aspx%3Fwid%3D239196
Replace the current link with the new Athenized link!
Q: I still have questions or am looking to do something else.
A: If you run into issues with Athenizing your links OR don’t find the answer to your question here, you can email Nic Ashman at nashman@cvtc.edu for additional assistance.
