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Library Proxy Links (Paywall Utilities)

Find something in Google Scholar but hit a paywall? This page shows you how to freely access this sort of content when off campus!

Page Contents 4 minute read.

About

During the course of normal web searching/browsing (while off campus), you may encounter an article or other resource that is of research interest to you but find that it is behind a pay-wall. Rather than go through the trouble of re-searching for the item in our discovery systems you can attempt to construct a special URL that will attempt to pass that resource through our proxy server.

Below, you can find several different tools to help access information when off-campus. The bookmarklet and extension can be used to quickly log into our servers; the link builder can be used to construct/share a link to a proxied resource.

Note that these only work for content accessible through subscription services offered by the UNT Libraries. Not every resource will work.

Option 1: Create a Link for Sharing

The following form can help you construct a url that redirects through our proxy servers. Best for building and sharing URLs to resources in coursework, etc.

Valid URLs must begin with http:// or https://

Option 2: Bookmarklet

Chrome/Firefox

Proxy-ify It

drag button to bookmarks toolbar

Mobile Safari

Copy/paste the code below based on these instructions.

What’s a bookmarklet

A bookmarklet is a tiny utility ‘link’ that you can drag to your browser’s bookmark toolbar which allows you to perform some sort of operation in the browser. They work in Chrome and Firefox, and the most recent version of Microsoft Edge. Mobile Safari works with additional setup.

What does this one do?

The Proxy-ify bookmarklet will take any text/URL in your browser’s address bar and prepend the UNT Libraries’ login prefix to it, redirecting you to a login prompt.

  • Use it to when browsing Google/Scholar off-campus and when you discovery an article/resource you think we probably have.
  • Clicking the bookmarklet on that page can save you time because you won’t have to re-search for your item in a library search engine.
  • NOTE: Using the bookmarklet to access a resource off-campus will often work, but it may sometimes fail. Your chosen item must be in something we subscribe to.

How to I add it to my browser?

  1. Ensure you are using Chrome, Firefox, or the latest version of MS Edge.
  2. Toggle On your Bookmarks/Favorites toolbar
  3. Drag and drop the “Proxy-ify It” button to your bookmarks toolbar (chrome) (firefox) or follow the mobile safari instructions.
  4. In the future, whenever you visit an electronic resource off campus and want to try to route through UNT Libraries proxy server, click the bookmark to proxy-ify it!

Option 3: EZProxy Redirect Chrome Extension

  • UNT doesn’t maintain this extension, but it has worked well in the past.
  • Simply Install the extension and from its settings, search for University of North Texas or browse the “Proxies” list.
  • Once you find it, “Add” it to the active list and give the button a test when off campus.

Fallback

You’ve tried one of the options above but UNT doesn’t appear to subscribe to the provider. What now?

  1. Gather citation information such as author, title, journal, DOIs, etc.
  2. Make a request for materials through Interlibrary Loan

See Also

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