Database Access from Home

Most of the databases, electronic journals and e-books available through the Libraries are restricted to UW faculty, students and staff. You have several options to access these UW restricted resources from off-campus:

Use the Libraries Proxy Server

If you connect to the Internet via an outside Internet Service Provider (such as Earthlink or Comcast), you will need to use the UW Libraries Proxy server, because the databases are IP authenticated. Our new proxy service does not require you to configure your browser and uses your UWNetID for authentication. To start a session with the new proxy, visit:
offcampus.lib.washington.edu
You can also click on any of the "Off-Campus Access" links in the upper-right hand corner of our pages at any time. This proxy requires that you always start a session to gain access to restricted resources, so you might want to bookmark the URL.

Proxy server bookmarklet

A bookmarklet is now available for the proxy server. Once installed, it allows a user to proxy a resource from the resource location, which obviates the need to go through an approved website to start the proxy server. Users who tested the bookmarklet found it immensely helpful and one said it's "exactly what's missing" from the proxy server. Information about it and an "un-proxy a URL" tool can be found at:   http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/proxyTools.html

More information about the proxy service, including help, can be found at http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/ezhelp.html

Use the UW dial-in modem pool

Manual and automatic configuration information is available at:
www.washington.edu/computing/connect
Users who dial into the UW campus modem pool need not do anything more.