Versions Compared

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.
Comment: Migration of unmigrated content due to installation of a new plugin

...

InCommon Library Services Collaboration

...

width60%

The InCommon Library Services collaboration formed in 2007 to explore implementing access to library services and electronic resources using Shibboleth authentication.

Access to library online resources and services has skyrocketed as opportunities for distance learning and the user expectations for availability of online information have increased. Providing access to these resources requires substantial time and resources by libraries, as well as often being complex for the users. The InCommon Library Services collaboration formed in 2007 to explore implementing access to library services and electronic resources using Shibboleth authentication.

Section
Column
width60%
Navigation Map
phase
phase
cellWidth200
cellHeight40

Phase 1

Phase I

- Understanding the Problem

Use Cases and Technology Recommendations

What: Libraries face special situations in making online resources available. Some resources, such as the catalog, may be open to all who enter the building. For other Other resources, such as specialized databases, the library may have a vendor contract that restricts access may be open to anyone physically in the library, as well as to those with university credentials (faculty, staff and students)regardless of their physical location. Add to this the desire for campus-wide single sign-on, remote access for those with university credentials, and providing a positive experience for walk-in public users; and the situation becomes complex.

Who: Several libraries formed the InCommon-Library collaboration to explore solutions to these various issues. After exploring various potential solutions, InC-Library settled on . The consensus was a hybrid technology, using EZProxy (for remote user authentication) and Shibboleth for single sign-on convenience and federated access to external resources.

EZProxy can use Shibboleth for initial user authentication, providing a single login for both remote access and campus resources, as well as a seamless user experience when transitioning individual resource access from IP to Shibboleth.
See the Phase I 1 page for use cases and presentations and other information. Phase I included six institutions: Cornell University, Penn State, UC-San Diego, The University of Chicago, University of Maryland, and the University of Washington.

Phase

II

2 - Piloting Technology Approaches

You can help the InC-Library collaboration take the next step and implement the EZProxy/Shibboleth hybrid technology. This will be a collaborative effort among several schools to use the hybrid solution in providing access to protected library resources, as appropriate, to campus-based users, walk-up users, and remote users with campus credentials. We are looking for colleges and universities interested in implementing this solution -- and working with others in making it better. To participate, contact Steven Carmody (Steven_Carmody AT brown DOT edu).

Column
width40%
Panel
bgColor#ffffdd
titleBGColor#ffff99
titleResources
New! Resource Registry and Best Practices

The Phase 2 Vendor Subgroup has produced two documents, in draft form, for community review:

Best Practices: documents best practices for resource providers and libraries.

Registry of Resources: Information about resources that we have contacted and are in various stages of Shibboleth-compliance.  The intent is to provide a checklist for vendors for Shibboleth implementation, and to provide implementation details to universities who would like to integrate with Shibboleth-enabled resources.

We invite you to review and comment on these pages

Participate in Phase II

Join the Phase II pilot community -- this will be a collaborative effort, with schools working together through implementation and deployment. If you plan to implement Shibboleth and/or EZProxy as a solution to accessing protected library resources, please contact Steven Carmody (Steven_Carmody AT brown DOT edu) to join Phase II.

Use Cases and More

See the Phase I page for background information on the collaboration, use cases, presentations and more.

Sponsored Partners

This page has links to other federations that have, as members, a number of library resource providers.