Submitted by admin-boss on
Some AskAwayers have been wondering: what do we do when patrons get an error when trying to login to library resources? Here are some questions to pinpoint the problem:
1. Have they ever logged in before? How recently was it?
Some institutions require that the students activate their accounts (in-person or online). Sometimes they have to re-activate their accounts with each new term.
2. Do they get any error messages? What are they?
These can help determine if it is a problem with their account or with the library website or the database itself
If the problem only began after the patron entered the AskAway chat session, ask them if they can open the database in a new window. This usually solves the problem, especially if the error is: "this is cookie.htm from the docs subdirectory" or "loginbu.htm from the docs subdirectory". It even sometimes works if the error something like: "your account is invalid"!
3. Are they able to login to a different database?
Ask them if they are able to open a database that is provided by a different vendor. E.g. if they were trying to get into Academic Search Premier, ask them if they can get into Canadian Newsstand or Art Index
4. Are they currently registered in any courses? Do they have any library fines or overdues?
Check their library's policies to see if they freeze accounts that have fines, or don't allow access to those who are not currently registered.
5. Are they using an unusual browser or OS?
If the patron has access to another browser, see if they can get in through that browser. This is especially important if they are using Safari (try Firefox instead).
6. Did they notice that the pages of the library website were loading slowly?
This might indicate a problem with the library's server.
7. Is there more than one way to login?
If there is more than one way to login, get them to try the other. Some institutions allow patrons to login via their library card barcode OR the login they use to access their email or register for classes. If the patron is from UBC, ask them if they have tried the proxy or rewriting proxy instead of the VPN (especially if they have never logged in before).
8. Are you (the service provider) able to login to the database? Do you notice any unusual behaviour of the patron's library website?
If you can't login either, it might be a problem with the library's website or with the database itself. If you can login, it is probably a problem with the patron's account. Note that this test is only useful if both you and the patron are logging in from off-campus (or both from on-campus).
9. Are they logging into Refworks?
Some patrons do not realise that they have to first login with their library account, and then create a separate Refworks account. You may have to tell them several times, and in several different ways, that they have to login twice - once with their library account, to access the Refworks login page, and then again to access a personal Refworks account.
10. Are they affiliated with the institution that they are trying to access?
This sounds like a silly question, but sometimes patrons insist that someone told them that they could use their "Obscure Remote Library" card to access resources at one of our libraries. Other times, they don't realise that they've clicked off of their own library's website onto someone else's. In some cases, post-secondary students from other universities ask for access, not realising that their own libraries provide access to the same databases.
How far do we go?
If the above information doesn't solve the problem, what then?
If the problem seems to be due to the patron's account:
Provide them with contact information for circulation or IT services at their local library. Let the patron know that circ staff will have access to their account information and can check to see if there is a problem.
If the problem seems to be due to the library website or specific database:
Provide them with contact information for the Electronic Resources librarian, librarian in charge of that database, or reference librarian, as appropriate. If the patron is reporting the problem by email, urge them to include as many details as possible, or you may wish to send your own email explaining anything you think the patron might not have thought to include. Alternatively, you may wish to report the problem yourself, and suggest that the patron check to see if they can login in [X] hours.
In all cases:
If it is an evening or weekend, be sure that the contact information that you have provided will actually connect them with a live person, if at all possible. E.g. you might provide them with contact information for the Electronic Resources librarian AND for a reference or circulation desk which you know to be open at the current time.
Lastly, suggest alternatives, such as another database on the same topic (perhaps a free one), a google scholar search, an authoritative website on their topic, or, if appropriate, suggest they check if their public library has access to any academic databases. They may find something useful to start out with while they are waiting for the problem to be solved.
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