Please note, if you click on the 'Check MSU Library' button while you're on this page, it will result in an error page. There is no need to report this to the Library as it's not actually an error. 

This shortcut provides easy access to resources that the Library subscribes to. Sometimes you may come across an article you want to access through a search engine such as Google or a social media service like Twitter, and this tool can connect you directly with that resource.

Installing the Shortcut

To Install the Shortcut: Drag-and-drop the "Check MSU Library" button (below) into the favorites bar or the bookmarks bar on your desktop web browser

 

Check MSU Library

 

If you're viewing this page on a desktop or laptop, just drag the "Check MSU Library" button below onto your browser's bookmarks toolbar. You can also create the shortcut manually by following the same directions in the “Mobile Devices” section below.

Mobile Devices

To create a shortcut on your device:

  • bookmark this page on your device
  • edit the bookmark so that the URL is:

javascript:location.href='http://proxybz.lib.montana.edu/login?url='+location.href

What is the shortcut for?

Lots of sites hosting journal articles and other online resources keep their content locked behind firewalls. When you visit these sites via the campus network or through a CatSearch search, the gatekeepers know that you're an MSU affiliate and let you in.

But sometimes you find an article through a Google search or you go to a publisher's site directly rather than through CatSearch. The result? You are asked to pay to access the resource! 

The MSU Library Proxy shortcut is a tool for your browser that solves that problem, making sure you can still get access to all the articles and resources the Library subscribes to.

It's important to understand that the Library does not subscribe to every online resource. If using the proxy shortcut fails, try double checking access through CatSearch. It's possible we have the article via another online source or as a print copy. 

How Does It Work?

The shortcut sits in your browser's bookmarks bar the same way a site that you've bookmarked does. Except that it's not a site; it's more like an app.

When you're using your browser to visit a site and find yourself locked out of some content, article, or resource, try clicking the "Check MSU Library" bookmark on your bookmarks bar. Your browser will check to see if a MSU Library subscription to the journal or resource can get you in.

The shortcut will automatically will the page and, if the Library subscribes to the resources, then the site will refresh and allow access to the resource.

Help using the Shortcut

If the publisher site asks you to pay even after reloading the page with the shortcut, that usually means the Library doesn't have online access or the site hasn't been configured to work with the Library's proxy server. 

If for some reason, you aren't having any luck using the proxy shortcut, please check CatSearch to see if we have a print copy or have access to the article from another vendor.

Otherwise, submit an Interlibrary Loan request.

If you need help finding or accessing an article, Ask a Librarian.

Common Shortcut Errors

The shortcut will attempt to "proxy" any website, whether the Library subscribes to the content or not. If you encounter errors while using the shortcut, the most common reasons are:

  • You are trying to access freely available resources that do not need to be proxied. Do not use the shortcut to access this type of content. If you are unsure, look for the resource in CatSearch or Ask a A Librarian for help.
  • The content is not licensed by MSU Library. It is possible that we have access to the journal or article that you're trying to access but through another platform. Using CatSearch or accessing a database link directly from the Library's website is the best way to know for sure. 
  • The least common error is that the content is licensed by MSU Library but has been moved or proxied incorrectly. In this case, you will be asked to submit an email to the Library, and we will verify if we actually have access.