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Workshops Repository

Repository for workshop materials offered through UConn Library

Ways of Viewing & Requesting Articles

See how to view and request full text articles from the library's website and databases, via Google Scholar, using browser extensions, and more!

Library Search at the UConn Library

Using the Library Search box

In the "Library Search" on UConn Library's website, many full text articles will be immediately accessible with your NetID. If not, you can login and easily request the article.

If we have access to the full text:

Tap the Download PDF or Read Article link.

download pdf link

If we don't have it:

Tap Check for request options underneath the reference.

Check for request options link

Tap Get me this article and sign in with your NetID.

Get this PDF link in library search

You'll be directed to your My ILLiad account and the form will most likely be auto-filled for you with the article information. Tap the blue Submit button at the bottom of the form. In some cases, you won't even have to deal with the ILLiad form!

ILLiad request form

Databases at the UConn Library

Using the UConn Full Text Buttons

In UConn Library's databases, you'll see our blue UConn Full Text button, providing easy access to our full text articles with your NetID. Tap the button once and follow the instructions to download or request the article.

citation with blue UConn Full Text button

If we have access to the full text:

Under View Online, tap one of the links. It shouldn't matter which one, as long as it says it contains the date when your article was published.

citation with links to databases with full text

In the link that opens, locate the PDF and download it.

If we don't have it:

Under How to get it, tap Get me this article and sign in with your NetID.

get this pdf link in library search

You'll be directed to your My ILLiad account and the form will most likely be auto-filled for you with the article information. Tap the blue Submit button at the bottom of the form. In some cases, you won't even have to deal with the ILLiad form!

Browser Extension: LibKey Nomad

LibKey Nomad provides easy access to our full text articles with your NetID when you are browsing publisher sites or using free databases like PubMed.

If we have access to the full text (as seen in PubMed):

Tap the Download PDF button and sign in with your NetID to obtain the full text of the article.

Download PDF button in PubMed

If we don't have it (as seen in PubMed):

Tap the Access Options button.

access options button

Under How to get it, tap Get me this article and sign in with your NetID.

get this pdf link in library search

You'll be directed to your My ILLiad account and the form will most likely be auto-filled for you with the article information. Tap the blue Submit button at the bottom of the form. In some cases, you won't even have to deal with the ILLiad form!

LibKey Nomad on publisher sites:

The button will look like one of the examples below:

LibKey Download PDF button     LibKey Access Options button

If you attempt to add LibKey Nomad and receive an error message saying that IT has locked the Chrome Store for security purposes this is most likely occurring because your UConn Google account is not opted in to Public Services, which grants additional access to various Google services. You can opt in to Public Services using the link below.

If you've opted into Public Services, cleared your cache, and restarted Chrome, and still can't access the Chrome Store, try logging into a different profile in your Chrome browser, such as a personal Google account, or use a different browser.

Following are instructions for adding the LibKey Nomad extension to Chrome. The process is similar in other browsers.

Choose the Chrome browser.

select a browser

Tap the green Add to Chrome button on the LibKey Nomad extension page.

add to Chrome button

Tap the Add extension button to confirm.

Add extension confirmation button

Search for and select University of Connecticut.

Tap the puzzle button in your browser bar, then tap the pushpin icon next to LibKey Nomad to pin the extension in place.

puzzle button and pin icon

Following are instructions for adding the LibKey Nomad extension to Chrome. The process is similar in other browsers.

animated gif of adding LibKey Nomad extension

Browser Extension: Open Access Helper

Open Access Helper provides easy access to legal open access versions of articles. When browsing online, you'll see the Open Access Helper icon on the right-hand side of your browser page.

A green badge indicates an open access copy is available on the current page. Tap it to open the PDF.

green unlock icon   green unlock button large

An orange icon indicates an open access copy is available elsewhere online. Tap it to go there.

orange unlock icon   orange unlock button large

If you attempt to add Open Access Helper and receive an error message saying that IT has locked the Chrome Store for security purposes this is most likely occurring because your UConn Google account is not opted in to Public Services, which grants additional access to various Google services. You can opt in to Public Services using the link below.

Following are instructions for adding the Open Access Helper extension to Chrome. The process is similar in other browsers.

Choose the Chrome browser.

Chrome browser button

Tap the green Add to Chrome button on the Open Access Helper extension page.

Add to Chrome button

Tap the Add extension button to confirm.

Add extension button

Tap the puzzle button in your browser bar, then tap the pushpin icon next to Open Access Helper to pin the extension in place.

Following are instructions for adding the Open Access Helper extension to Chrome. The process is similar in other browsers.

animated gif of adding open access helper extension

Google Scholar

Using the UConn Full Text Links

If you come to Google Scholar via the Library Search box, or add UConn Full Text links to Google Scholar, you'll have easy access to articles with your NetID.

If we have access to the source in full text online through UConn:

A UConn Full Text link appears to the right of the reference; tap the link once and follow the instructions to download the article.

UConn Full Text link in Google Scholar

If we don't have it:

No UConn Full Text link appears on the right. In that case, first tap the double chevron in the options below the reference:

double chevron

Then tap UConn Full Text to navigate to our interlibrary loan form. In most cases, with a few clicks, the form will auto-populate to help you submit your request:

UConn Full Text link hidden by chevron


Beyond UCONN Full Text

Google Scholar is also especially good for locating open access versions of publications posted in open access collections or faculty members’ institutional repositories. Sometimes you'll find articles posted on sites like ResearchGate, too. Bear in mind that not every link on Google Scholar takes you to an authentic or legal version of a publication! Here are a couple examples of reliable places to obtain free articles:

This is an article available via CORE, a global open access repository:

link to open access PDF

This is an article in a university's institutional repository:

To add the UConn Full Text link to Google Scholar, login to your Google account. Tap the hamburger (three line) menu in the upper left-hand corner of the page, then choose Settings at the bottom of the list of options.

step 1: tap three line or hamburger menu; step 2: tap Settings

In Settings, tap Library Links, one of the navigation options on the left. Search for UConn, then check the box next to UConn - UConn Full Text.

In Settings, tap Library Links, one of the navigation options on the left. Search for UConn, then check the box next to UConn - UConn Full Text.

Be sure to tap the blue Save button to save this setting.

blue save button

animated gif of written instructions

PubMed

Using the UConn Full Text Links

If you come to PubMed from the UConn Library website, or add UConn Full Text links to PubMed when logged into PubMed, you'll see our UCONN Full Text button, providing easy access to our full text articles with your NetID.

A UConn Full Text button appears to the right of the reference; tap the button once and follow the instructions to download or request the article.

arrow pointing to UConn Full Text button near a PubMed reference

First, set up an account in PubMed. The link below offers you several options, including using your UConn email, your ORCiD, or your Google account.

This setting is in your Dashboard. If you aren't automatically routed to your dashboard, tap your login name in the upper right corner of the page.

account name button

Choose Dashboard in the drop-down menu.

Drop-down menu with arrow pointing to Dashboard

On your PubMed Dashboard, choose NCBI Site Preferences.

link labeled NCBI Site Preferences

Under PubMed Preferences, choose Outside Tool.

Link to Outside Tool

Find UConn under U in the alphabet bar.

alphabet bar with U highlighted

Check the box next to UConn Full Text.

UConn Full Text with box checked

animated gif of written instructions

RefWorks

Tapping the UConn Full Text link in the details column will check the UConn library's access to an article.

If we have access to the full text:

Under View Online, tap one of the links. It shouldn't matter which one, as long as it says it contains the date when your article was published.

In the link that opens, locate the PDF and download it.

If we don't have it:

Under How to get it, tap Get me this article and sign in with your NetID.

get this pdf link in library search

You'll be directed to your My ILLiad account and the form will most likely be auto-filled for you with the article information. Tap the blue Submit button at the bottom of the form. In some cases, you won't even have to deal with the ILLiad form!

Zotero

The Locate menu is accessible from the green arrow at the top of the details pane. There are three options:

Library Lookup:

If you configured the link resolver (see the Getting Started with Zotero section of this guide), Library Lookup will help you find and access the reference in full text, or assist you in placing an interlibrary loan request for the item.

CrossRef Lookup

If your reference includes a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), this option will find the source online. This will not necessarily find you a free copy of the full text, however, so Library Lookup is a better option.

Google Scholar Search

This performs a Google Scholar search for the full title of the reference and the first author's first and last names. If there's no match, try removing some of the information from the Google Scholar search box and perform the search again. Like CrossRef Lookup, this may not take you to a free full text version of the item.

Request an Article Manually

If you already have a reference for an article we don't have, you can request it directly through your My ILLiad account.

Tap the blue Interlibrary Services button on the library website.

interlibrary services button

Tap the blue My ILLiad button and sign in with your NetID.

My ILLiad button

In the dark blue horizontal menu bar, chose Place Request, then Article/Paper.

Article/Paper link\

If you have the DOI or Digital Object Identifier for the article, you can use the Lookup DOI button to autofill the request form. Otherwise, fill in the required fields and tap the blue Submit button at the bottom of the form.