eBook User Guide: Troubleshooting

If you are having trouble accessing our collections, first make sure that you have set up your computer or device correctly so that it can connect to our ebook databases (see Basic Setup), and that you have read the other pages in the Using Our Collections portion of this guide. This page provides a few general troubleshooting tips, as well as instructions on how to set up other authentication methods for the campus network. Before you contact support, please try these few short procedures to see if they fix your problem. 

I. Clear Your Cache & Cookies

1. Navigate to a neutral page like a new tab or go to about:blank.
2. Close all but that one browser window/tab.
3. In the browser menu, clear cache and cookies.
4. Close your browser completely.
5. Reopen browser.
6. Try to access your ebook again.

II. Update Your Software

1. Ensure your operating system is current by performing a system update.
2. Update any software you use to access or read ebooks.
3. Restart your computer.

III. Be Sure You Are Authenticated Correctly

1. If you are on campus, make sure you are connected to UConnect. If you are not on campus, continue with the next step.
2. Go to the library homepage, then navigate to your ebook or database.
3. You should see the login page for the proxy server that is pictured below. You must login through this page if you are off campus so that the databases see that you are an authorized user. Note that your uNID and password will not work on any of the publisher's websites - you should only have to log in once via our proxy to use our collections. You MUST go through the proxy unless you are already authenticated by some other means (see the bottom of this page for more info).

If you do not wish to (or can't) access our databases through the proxy server while off-campus, there are a couple of other ways to authenticate. Please try to use the proxy unless you absolutely can't or have a good reason not to - it is the simplest way to authenticate, requires no additional software, and works with almost any browser or device. These alternate methods should not be seen as equivalents to the proxy server - they are backup plans. With that in mind, the two other ways to authenticate and get access to the databases are the Web VPN and the AnyConnect VPN Client.

For more information about using these access methods, consult the VPN Instructions. Make sure you understand how to use the VPN, and that you do not want to use the proxy before continuing.

If You Are Sure You Want To Use The VPN...

The WebVPN allows for VPN access via your browser.

The AnyConnect VPN Client allows VPN access managed by a dedicated program on your computer.

If you are unable to resolve your issue using the instructions above or you have questions that this guide has not addressed, please visit the Need Help? page for information about who you can contact for additional assistance.