How do I access eresources?

Answer

Libraries & Collections provides access to a wide range of eresources for its students and staff. You can check if we have access to a resource by using King's Library Search or searching our A-Z Databases. Holdings and access information are displayed in the record for the resource.

While access to the majority of eresources on campus is automatic, there are some additional steps involved when accessing from off-campus.

Accessing eresources off-campus
Accessing eresources with specific passwords
Using eresources and download limits
NHS access to eresources
Login instructions for popular eresources
Help and Support

Accessing eresources off-campus

The best way to access an electronic resource is to use King's Library Search. You should follow the links under “View Online” to access the material. To access databases, you can also use the links in A-Z Databases. To access journals, you can use Journal Search.

The majority of our eresources are accessed off campus through Shibboleth – this is the ‘Institutional Login’ option you see on many platforms; it may also be called UK Access Federation. You should select this option when on the login page, then type in “King’s College London” or choose the relevant option from a drop-down box. You may then have to complete a subsequent King’s sign in stage, entering your King’s number followed by ‘@kcl.ac.uk’ and password to gain access.

For some other resources we use a proxy server. When selecting a resource from King's Library Search or the Database A-Z you will be taken to a “King’s Library Proxy” login screen where you will have to enter your K number (do not enter Knumber@kcl.ac.uk) and King’s password. Please note: your King’s password will not work with the proxy server if it contains “unusual” characters for example £, underscore, diacritical marks. If this is the case you may have to reset your password. It is important to start your search using Library Search otherwise you will not be taken to the proxy login.

Accessing eresources with specific passwords

For a small number of resources when accessing both on and off-campus, you will have to use a specific username and password:

If a database requires a specific password, you will see the icon ‘Specific Password’ next to it in our A-Z list of Databases

If an ejournal requires a specific password, you will see ‘Password required’ when you click on the journal’s information in Library Search or Journal Search.

The full list of passwords can be found on the eresources passwords internal webpage (King's users only). Please note that if you are accessing this page from home you will have to log in.

Using eresources and download limits

All resources, including electronic resources, are subject to Copyright Law. To ensure Copyright compliance, the library has agreements with publishers which outline who may use eresources and the ways they can be used.

You can use eresources for private study, teaching and/or research, provided that these activities are for non-commercial purposes. In general, for your own personal non-commercial use, you can:

print a single copy of an article or chapter of a book;
save a copy of an article or chapter of a book;
print single copies of or save limited extracts from a database.

You may not:

use eresources for any commercial purpose;
download large amounts of material either manually or via technical means such as robots and crawlers – this is considered excessive by publishers and a breach of licence;
make multiple copies of a single article or chapter from a book;
make copies of more than one article from an issue of a journal or one chapter from a book;
provide copies of material to anyone;
post any content on the Internet or other electronic network;
remove or alter publisher copyright notices or authors' names, or any other means of identification;
alter or adapt material from the eresources.

Please note, if publishers notice unusual activity from an account which suggests any of the above, access may be blocked.

NHS access to eresources

Eresources for NHS staff are primarily accessed using NHS OpenAthens rather than the university systems. Via NHS OpenAthens you have access from any computer to considerable collections of ejournals, ebooks and other resources.

If you work closely with King's but are not directly employed by King's College London you may be eligible for Affiliate status which includes remote access to university eresources.

Your first port of call for searching for locating journal articles is via the Knowledge and Learning Hub. Please ensure you login to the Knowledge & Learning Hub using your NHS OpenAthens login as this will ensure you see all the journals available to you.

You can search using keywords, the title of the article or a DoI if you have one.

If the article is available, you can click “Get PDF” or “Access online” for non-PDF versions which may be easier to read onscreen. If the article is not available, you can click “Request this item” to send a remote request to the Library.

The request form should autopopulate with all the details - please complete your details, so we can contact you – we ask you to use your NHS email address.

If the Library has access to the relevant article and is legally able to supply remotely, we will send a PDF to you via email. Where this is not possible, details will be provided of how to access the Inter Library Loan Service. It is also possible to access the majority of King's College London ejournals via the student computers within the libraries using a King's computing account issued when you join the library.

Please see the NHS staff Library Guide for more information on all aspects of NHS eresources.