Proxy it! Bookmarklet

Question: When I try to access certain websites from off-campus I get an "Access Denied" error. How can I access these sites from off-campus?

Answer: Many databases and ejournals are licensed by the Libraries and are restricted to on-campus usage. To access these sites from off-campus, you must go through the proxy server. If the link you clicked on to reach a resource has been formatted properly, you will be directed through the proxy automatically — there is no need to do any configuration on your web browser. However, under various circumstances, you may find a bookmark or link to a restricted resource which does not direct through the proxy.

If you find one of these links and get the "Access Denied" error, you should use the Proxy it! bookmarklet to manually invoke the proxy. To set up the bookmarklet:

• In Firefox or Safari, drag this link to your bookmarks toolbar: Proxy it!
• In Internet Explorer, right-click on this link and select "Add to Favorites..." (you may receive a Security Alert warning that the favorite may not be safe, click on "Yes" to continue); choose where in your Favorites you wish to save the bookmarklet and then click on "OK": Proxy it!

Now, whenever you encounter a page or resource that's giving you an "access denied" error because you're off-campus, click on your new Proxy it! bookmarklet while still on that page. This will redirect the URL you are on through the proxy; you will be prompted for your WU ID and library password, then on to the original URL. That's it! (Once you're through the proxy, you can re-bookmark the destination page normally — the new bookmark should include the necessary information to send you through the proxy as necessary.)

Two things to note:

• You must have Javascript turned on in your web browser in order for the Proxy it! bookmarklet to work.
• The Proxy it! bookmarklet works for most proxied sites, but it may fail on a few sites (or for some documents on a few sites). If you encounter one of these, you'll have to access the site from the Library website (probably via the Search Resources box on the library homepage or the Full Text Electronic Journal Holdings page, or search for the journal in the online catalog) and find the article from scratch.

If you maintain pages of links, or wish to put 'proxied' URLs into Telesis or ERes, please visit Directing Links Through the Proxy Server for information.

NOTE: Only sites which have been registered in the proxy server can be successfully referred through it. If you are working with an outside web resource that needs to be registered with the proxy, contact the Electronic Resources Librarian. Please provide the URL you're trying to link to - and we'll let you know if we can make it work. And if you're having any problems getting a link to work, please let us know, that, too!

Credit for this bookmarklet is due David Champion, University of Chicago. His page is here: Using the NSIT Web Proxy.