We use EZProxy, a proxy server software recently bought by OCLC. Proxy server

The proxy server is a server located at LCLS which runs our patron database authentication. The vendor’s server is then contacted through the proxy server IP, and not directly through the patron’s home IP.

IP We use this term generally to refer to the IP address, the address of a particular computer or server (printers and other devices also sometimes have their own IP address). The IP looks like 4 numbers separated by periods (ex )

Database authentication This is the process of ensuring that a user trying to access a database has the right to view the database. The user enters some sort of information, for our purposes, that would be their name and barcode, and the proxy server verifies that the information in their Millennium patron record meets the requirements for accessing that database.

Why use the proxy server? Using the proxy server provides increased security – it keeps people who don’t support the library financially through taxes or paid membership from using resources you pay for ; it also provides authentication on the entire patron barcode instead of just the first few numbers as happens with many vendors Using the proxy service is easy: patrons can access library databases from home using their name and library card barcode number

How it works The proxy server checks the following in the Millennium database to determine if a user is authorized to use the selected resource: Last name Barcode Expiration date PTYPE Patron Agency PCODE4

Which means… Allof this information needs to be correct in your patron records for database authentication to work – if a patron calls you and says they can’t get into a resource, the first thing to do is check these things in their patron record to be sure that they are correct.

Vendor authentication The database vendor verifies access on IP alone once this is set up. Authentication is no longer done only on the beginning numbers of the barcode. This authentication is set up by contacting the vendor with the correct IPs, both the library IP(s) and the proxy-assigned IP for database access

What we need: IP range (ex ) or firewall IP List of databases with websites/access URLs/logins & passwords (ex.-EBSCO, FirstSearch, Tumblebooks username & password, etc.) What patron types the library wants to allow or deny access (most publics exclude reciprocal borrowers and most schools only allow students, faculty and staff)

Once we are set up… Access from the library will not require the patron to enter any information. Access to the databases will be seamless Access from home will require name and barcode The library needs to add the proxy links to their databases to their website

What patrons will see

Brief details There are a number of files that are needed – the primary files that are updated regularly are: ezproxy.cfg lists all databases with their URLs and IncludeFile for each library allowed access ezproxy.usr each library is established as a Group with their proxy-assigned IP plus PTYPEs allowed access and the interface with Millennium is set library.cfg establishes library's Group, lists IPs allowed, plus prosy-assigned IP

Interface with Millennium The III Patron API provides a link for external programs to obtain information on patrons in real-time from the III database. EZproxy provides built-in support to use this interface to verify patron status and authorize remote access. For more information specific to the link between EZProxy and Millennium, see oxy/usr/iii.htm oxy/usr/iii.htm

For more information Since OCLC’s purchase of EZProxy, all of the support and documentation has been moved to the OCLC site: