NREM: Natural Resources Ecology and Management Research Guide

Accessing library resources

Off-campus access

Use your ISU net ID and password to access library resources from off campus. Beginning in spring 2021, you will also need to use your net ID and password to access resources while on campus. If you're not in the habit of starting your research at the Library website, you may want to consider adopting that particular habit -- you'll be much less likely to run into websites demanding $40 or more for access to a single article that way.

Alternatively, if the resource you've found has an institutional login option or allows authentication through OpenAthens, you can typically use that to log in with your ISU net ID and password. However, this method does not guarantee that the ISU Library actually provides access to the item you want, only that you can authenticate and gain access to items on that site that are a part of the library's subscriptions.

Your best bet for getting the fastest access is to start with the Library website and log in when requested (or when the option is available) so that the resources you use know you're affiliated with ISU and should benefit from our subscriptions.

Saving links

Cutting and pasting a link from a browser's address bar often doesn't work with online library resources. Try the following to save links that work:

• Look for a permalink - these are special links that won't change and often are also coded to ask you to log in. 
• Save results in Quick Search (log into My Library Card first) 
• Save the permalink for Quick Search records (click a title then click "Permalink" in the "Send to" menu).
• Save DOIs - these are unique and you can look them up at https://dx.doi.org/. DOIs are not coded to ISU and you may need to log in after using one.

Reporting problems

If you encounter problems with access, please send your librarian a report including:

• What you were trying to access
• What happened
• What browser you were using at the time

We'll do our best to troubleshoot for you and make sure you get access to what you need ASAP.

Google Scholar

Connecting Google Scholar to the Library will add "Viewit@ISU" links to your search results. Clicking these links will prompt you to sign in to the Library and then query our collection. If the Library subscribes to the item you are looking for, you should be directed to the service that will let you access it.

• Go to https://scholar.google.com
  • You can perform these steps without a Google Account but signing in will save your changes so that they work across multiple devices.
• Click the icon showing three horizontal bars on the top left of the webpage.
• From this menu click and then click Library links.
• In the search box on the Library links page, enter iowa state
• You’ll see three different options. Check the box for Iowa State University – ViewIt@ISU.
• Click Save.