How Do I Access e-Resources Off-Campus?

McMaster University Libraries is pleased to offer Lean Library, a browser extension which simplifies your off-campus access to e-resources provided by the Libraries, and many other features for both on and off campus. Once installed, the extension will bring McMaster Libraries to you anywhere, anytime. Using Lean Library means spending less time searching and more time reading. 

Its key features include:

• Prompts you to log in to access e-resources off campus;
• Finds you articles and ebooks provided by the Libraries at other locations, and Open Access alternatives for e-resources not licensed, or directs you to interlibrary loan if no alternatives are found;
• Displays customized messages from the Libraries related to certain e-resources to keep you informed;
• Seamlessly integrates with popular tools such as Google Scholar, PubMed and Wikipedia. 

Lean Library work with all major browsers (Chrome, FireFox, Microsoft Edge, Opera and Safari), and a mobile app version called Academic Browser is also available for iOS.

Step 1: Download and install the extension: https://download.leanlibrary.com/mcmaster.

Step 2: Select McMaster Unviersity.

Notes: Go to Advanced Settings anytime if you want to personalize your experience with Lean.

Step 3: Happy searching! When off-campus, Lean Library will let you know when you are on a website that the library has access to.

Step 4: Click on "Get Access" and login with your MacID on the McMaster authentication page.

Lean Libary Access:

The Access feature prompts you to log in to access e-resources off campus, regardless of how you arrive at an e-resource: following a URL, a DOI, or a Google search that leads you to a publisher's site. Once Lean identifies the e-resource as licensed, the browser extension will light up and you will be prompted to "Get Access" by logging with your MacID. 

                 

Lean Library Alternatives:

The Alternatives feature finds you articles and ebooks provided by the Libraries at other locations, and Open Access alternatives for e-resources not licensed, or directs you to interlibrary loan if no alternatives are found. 

• Article available elsewhere:

• eBook Alternative(s): 

 

• Open Access version found!

• Get this article in your inbox (redirecting to interlibrary loan):

Lean Library Assist:

Integration with other tools:

• Google Scholar: providing full-text links next to licensed articles, even when you are off-campus, and offering the option of ToC Alert which enables you to subscribe to table of contents (ToC) alerts of your favorite journals.

• PubMed: enhancing the search results by providing full-text links next to licensed articles.

• Highlight & Search: enabling you to highlight any text on a website, right-click and look up the highlighted text against the library's discovery layer Omni.

• Scite.ai: Using Smart Citations, easily check how a scientific article has been cited and if it has been supported or disputed by others, or retracted. Scite is integrated with Google Scholar and many publisher platforms.