Adding Access to Your Institution's Library

Many libraries are accessible with an OpenURL Path. Subscription libraries also require valid authentication, which usually means a user ID and password. First, you must determine the appropriate OpenURL path. If the library requires authentication, you must also determine the authentication URL. Next, enter these URLs as Find Full Text preferences. Then, you may need to authenticate access by entering your personal user ID and password. These definitions may be helpful to you:

OpenURL Path: This is the OpenURL web address to the online library. It is where EndNote will be directed to search for matching references.

Authentication URL: This is the web address to the page where you enter subscription details to access the online library. It is typically the page where you enter a user name and password. Once you enter the Authentication URL (if required), EndNote can access the full text of the matching references from the online library’s OpenURL path.

Proxy Server: Your institution may use a proxy server to control access. For EndNote to automatically handle the proxy server when accessing http-based connections, you will need to configure your proxy settings. You can do this for Windows by opening Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. Check your institutional library's website, or ask your librarian or network administrator, for information on what the settings should be for your institution's proxy server.

Determining the OpenURL Path

The easiest way to determine your institution’s OpenURL address is to ask your librarian, or check the library's website.

SFX link resolvers work best, so look for a URL that begins with http://sfx.library or a similar URL that contains sfx in the path.

Determining the Authentication URL

In order to use the OpenURL path to find full text articles, your institution likely requires that you log in to access full text. EndNote uses an authentication URL to automatically direct you to your institution’s log-in web page.

Again, the easiest way to determine the authentication URL is to work with your librarian or check your library's website. To act as your own detective, though, you can try the suggestion below.

To determine the authentication URL:

Enter the OpenURL path as an EndNote preference.
1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences.
2. Select the Find Full Text panel.
3. Select the OpenURL box, and enter the OpenURL Path information.
4. Click OK to save the setting.
Then try one of these:
1. Follow the URL Path:
  1. Highlight a reference—one where you believe the full text article is available from your institution.
  2. Right-click on the reference and select References > URL > OpenURL Link. If you are not automatically directed to the full text article, use your browser to continue to try to get to the full text PDF file.
2. Browse to the URL:
  1. Use a browser to go to your library’s Web site and try to access a subscription resource.
  2. Once you reach a page where you are prompted to enter credentials, copy the root of that URL. It may start with https://login.ezproxy. Copy everything through “/login? url=%@”.
  3. Enter the path as an authentication preference as described next under Setting Full Text Preferences.
  4. Test the URL by logging in to your institution’s site as described below.

Setting Full Text Preferences

Once you have determined the appropriate OpenURL path and authentication URL for your institution, you must enter them as preferences in EndNote.

To enter Find Full Text preferences:

From the Edit menu, select Preferences.
Select the Find Full Text panel.

This panel determines which methods are used when searching for full text articles. By default, PubMed, the Web of Science Core Collection Full Text Links, DOI, and OpenURL are selected.
To search your institution’s library, make sure OpenURL is selected, and enter your institution’s OpenURL Path. If authentication is required, enter an Authentication URL (the address of the site’s login page).

For more information, see Find Full Text Preferences.

Logging in to Your Library

Once you have entered the appropriate URLs as Find Full Text preferences, you can log into your institution’s library. Do this in one of two ways:

Authenticate Only

From the References menu, select Find Full Text and then Authenticate.
This method allows you to try connecting without starting a Find Full Text search. You should be directed to your institution’s login web page. Log in as indicated on the web page. You may be directed to a home page or a list of resources, which means you are logged in. Click Done. You are authenticated for this session of EndNote or until your institution times out the connection.
You still need to specifically select the References > Find Full Text > Find Full Text command to begin searching for full text articles.

Authenticate and Search

From the References menu, select Find Full Text, and then Find Full Text.
If you have an OpenURL path and authentication URL entered under Find Full Text preferences, EndNote will direct you to your institution’s login web page. Log in as indicated on the web page, and then click Continue to begin the search for full text articles for the selected references.

You are authenticated for this session of EndNote or until your institution times out the connection.

Note: Your institution may sever your OpenURL connection after a certain amount of idle time. Unfortunately, there is no indication when that happens. You will need to go to the References menu, select Find Full Text and then Authenticate to restore access to the site. Just selecting Find Full Text again during this EndNote session will not restore authentication.