Connecting to Library Databases
Campus Only
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You are not on the UA campus, and the database is one that is only available to users on campus.
- Solution: Check the description of the databases to see if this is the case. If it is, come to the library to use this database.
UA Only
You may not be able to connect to a library database because
- Off campus access to the database may be limited to UA students, faculty and staff. Read the description on the database details page carefully to see if this is the case.
- Solution: If you are not a UA student, faculty and staff member, come to the library to use this database.
Maximum Users
You may not be able to connect to a library database because
- The maximum number of users from the UA who can search this database at one time has been reached.
- Solution: Wait a few minutes and try again.
Name or CatCard number incorrect or Expired
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You enter your name and CatCard number and get a message "That name or CatCard number was incorrect..." or "Your patron privileges have expired...". You are not recognized by the library because you registered late or changed your CatCard in the last few days or you may have typed in your information incorrectly. Our records for students, faculty and staff are updated every weekday (except holidays) from a campus database, so you should find that this is temporary problem. You can check at the Circulation desk to have your record updated.
- Solution: If you get these messages when trying to use library databases just wait a few days, or stop at the library circulation desk or call 621-3430 and have your record updated.
Always be careful typing in your last name and CatCard number. Too many retries will result in blocking your login.
- Solution: If you get these messages when trying to use library databases just wait a few days, or stop at the library circulation desk or call 621-3430 and have your record updated.
AHSL Users
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You are clinical faculty at AHSC but have not obtained a CatCard
- Solution: Contact your AHSC College/Department to make arrangements to obtain one.
- You are a UMC Employee
- Solution: Contact the UMC ISS Dept. to request that access to the AHSL library be placed on your CITRIX desktop. Fax your request to: 694-0222 or call David Brown/694-2124.
Notify AHSL of any problems accessing library resources off campus by sending email to the AHSL Webmaster or calling 520-626-1307.
Catalog Login (if off campus)
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You may be off campus and connecting to the library catalog via a
link that doesn't set up off-campus access. If vendor restricts access
to a database to the UA, you must first log in to use it.
- Solution: Start at the UA Library homepage, select the link to "Search the UA Library Catalog." You should see that the location displayed by your browser begins with http://sabio.library.arizona.edu.ezproxy.library.arizona.edu/ (you may use this link to go there directly). When you click on a link to a subscribed databases (such as a journal article), you should be prompted to log in using your last name and CatCard number.
Password?
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You receive a prompt asking for a user ID or authorization and password when you try to use a library database (not your name and CatCard number).
- Solution: You may have bookmarked the database or entered it's URL rather than entering via the library's description/linking page. Some databases require authentication provided via the library Web pages, so try looking up the database and following the links from the library Web pages.
Proxy or Web Accelerator
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You have your broser configured to use a proxy server that isn't on
the UA Campus, or you have installed a web accelerator. These can cause
you to appear to be off campus, even if you are on-campus or you are using
the campus VPN. Hint: You may want to check
the IP number that the library
sees to verify that it matches you computer's network configuration.
- Solution: You must uninstall or disable web accelerators or disable the use of a proxy server.
SmartDownload
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You are using Netscape SmartDownload to download files
that are limited to UA access. To facilitate the download SmartDownload uses
a server at Netscape which doesn't have access to these files.
- Solution: You must disable Netscape SmartDownload to download files that are limited to UA access. For information on SmartDownload, see the Netscape Web site.
Cookies
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You may be refusing the cookies used to identify you
as a valid user. Your browser must accept cookies for the connection to
the desired database to occur. When you enter your name and CatCard to
identify yourself as a UA student, faculty or staff member, you are sent a
cookie (data that you browser stores and will return to the server when
it requests it). This allows you to be identified when you request more
Web pages from the database, without having to re-enter your name and
CatCard number each time.
- Solution: Be sure your browser supports
cookies and is enabled to accept them.
Netscape: Tools | Options | Privacy tab | Accept cookies...
Internet Explorer: Tools | Internet Options | Privacy tab | Default setting
For some databases you may need to set Internet Explorer to accept third party cookies (in the advanced settings) or add library.arizona.edu to the sites that are always allowed to set cookies.
- Solution: Be sure your browser supports
cookies and is enabled to accept them.
UA Campus Wireless System
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You may be connecting to the campus wireless network as a public user.
For best performance and to have access to UA databases, students, faculty
and staff should use their NetID's to login to the campus network when
they connect to the wireless network.
- Solution: Be sure your laptop is configured to use the wireless network properly and log in when you connect. Information on using the UA wireless network is available from CCIT at http://ccit.web.arizona.edu/index.php?id=wifi. Help for setting up your computer is available from OSCR at http://www.oscr.arizona.edu/wireless/
Javascript
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- Your browser may not run JavaScript. JavaScript is
used by many of the databases the library subscribes to, and if your browser
won't use it you may not be able to use them.
- Solution: Be sure your browser supports JavaScript and that you have it configured to allow it to be used.
Pop-up Blockers
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- The database may use pop-ups. Some databases create pop-up windows when they display an article. If you browser or firewall blocks these pop-ups you won't be able to see the article you requested.
- Solution: You will have to allow pop-up windows, at least from the servers used by these databases.
EndNote
You may not be able to search a library database using the EndNote software because:
- EndNote uses a protocol (Z39.50) that requires a username and password. Because of our contractual restrictions on access to subscribed databases the library is unable to distribute this username and password
- Solution: Go to the database and check for an export function that will prepare the data from the records you select for use in EndNote.
Secure Connections (SSL)
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- The use of a secure connection (SSL) is needed to log in to use databases from off-campus. If your browser isn't configured to allow this, you will not be able to log in.
- Solution: Configure your browser to use SSL
Emailed URL's
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- You may have been e-mailed a URL that will only work from the campus network. This may come from the options that some databases offer to e-mail the URL of an article, or it may be a URL that a colleague has sent to you.
- Solution: Try pasting the URL into this form (http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/how/connect/databases/proxy-url.html).
System Date
You may not be able to connect to a library database because:
- If the date is set incorrectly on your computer, you may not be able to connect to databases from Infotrac (and probably other vendors).
- Solution: Set the date on your computer correctly. Check the documentation that came with your computer for instructions.
More Help
If none of the directions work, let us know. Send us a message and tell us:
- Which database you were trying to use
- Who is your Internet Service provider
- What happens when you cannot connect
- What message do you get on your screen
- From which UA Library Web page were you trying to connect