ARCHIVED: At IUB and IUPUI, what should I do if I'm having difficulty accessing library resources?

At Indiana University Bloomington or IUPUI, if you have difficulty accessing library resources (e.g., databases of journal articles), try the following suggestions.

Note: You will not be able to access some resources if your IU accounts are no longer active or if you are not using the correct username and password. For more, see Student computing accounts, data, and software when you leave IU

• Try using a different browser. For example, if you have difficulty accessing a particular resource in Firefox, try using Internet Explorer or Safari.
• To access library resources from off campus, try either of the following:
  • Log in using your ADS domain account

    When you are prompted for your username, enter ads\username (where username is your username). For your passphrase, enter your usual IU passphrase.

  • Create a VPN connection

    To create a VPN connection, see About the IU VPN.

• Check the number of simultaneous users allowed for the database in question. Many resources allow unrestricted use, but some have restrictions. To check for limits:
  1. Find the database you're trying to use in the list at Resources A-Z.
  2. Click about next to the title.
  3. On the resulting page, look in the upper right next to "Number of Users:" for the number of simultaneous users allowed when there is a limit. If the number is small, and it's a busy time of year, you might want to try again in about 15 minutes.

See also the following campus-specific suggestions:

• IUB: Tips for Connecting to Electronic Resources.
• IUPUI: Can't Connect? (troubleshooting form)

For more help, contact your campus Support Center.