The Sun Shining in the Middle of the Night: How Moving Beyond IP Authentication Does Not Spoil the Fun, Ease, or Privacy of Accessing Library Resources

Gone are the days of unsecure access to electronic resources. Adoption of standards regarding secure access to resources is a step forward for the security and integrity of library resources. GALILEO, Georgia’s virtual library, is in the process of transitioning to authentication using OpenAthens. This paper discusses the technology behind single sign-on authentication, motivations for moving in this direction, and ends with a discussion of the Gwinnett Technical College library’s pilot site implementation of OpenAthens authentication.

Keywords: authentication, electronic resources, single sign-on, OpenAthens, GALILEO