Off-Campus Access FAQ

1. What is ISO and who can access from off-campus?

Michigan Tech?s Initial Sign-On (ISO) Password allows you to access many university applications, including many library electronic resources, from off-campus. The ISO Password is available to current Michigan Tech students, faculty and staff.  Adjunct and Emeritus faculty also have access to library resources from off-campus; please contact the reference desk for help.

2. What can I access from off-campus?

You have off-campus access to virtually the same material those who are on-campus, but there are a few exceptions. 

For databases labeled ?M? or ?Open Access? are available off-campus.

• Databases that are only available from within the library are labeled 'L'
• Databases that are only available from on-campus are labeled 'O'
• Databases that are accessible with an ISO password are labeled 'M'
• Databases that are open access from anywhere without passwords are identified by 'Open Access'

For e-journals everything except for a few titles are available from off-campus. To recongize these few titles look for access information in the HuskyFetch Service menu.

3. How do I access from off-campus?

Step 1: Access the library e-resources from the library?s E-Resources Database Search Results page(see above). 

Step 2: After selecting a database with a "M".

Step 3: Enter your ISO User Name and Password and click 'OK'. The resource will open in a new window.

4. What if the page cannot be displayed?

If you get 'The page cannot be displayed' screen, click on the 'refresh' button in the browser or hit F5 on your keyboard.

5. Why am I asked for my ISO password more than once?

You may have "lost" your session. You may lose your session if you have opened more than one browser window or if your session has timed out because of inactivity. The library?s proxy server will place a cookie on your machine, as long as you stay in the same browser session you will not have to log in a second time.

6. Do I need to enable cookies and JavaScript to access e-resources?

Yes, you will want to make sure you have enabled cookies and JavaScript in your browser. The following will give you some assistance with two of the most common browsers.

To enable Cookies:

• For IE6, go to Tools > Internet Options > Privacy > Set privacy slider to Medium or Lower
• For FireFox, go to Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies

To enable JavaScript:

• For IE6, go to Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level
• For FireFox, go to Tools > Options > Web Features > Enable JavaScript

7. Why do I not get full-text?

There are a number of possible explanations. Check the E-Resources Search Results page.

• Verify that the e-resource you are accessing is available in full-text. If the e-resource has an 'F' to the right of the resource name, it is full-text.
• If the resource is HuskyFetch enabled, make sure you use the HuskyFetch feature to verify the availability of full-text. Please see the HuskyFetch FAQ for additional infromation about HuskyFetch.
• Check to see the coverage dates for the full-text, located under the title of the resource. Dates for coverage are expressed in whole years. There are occasions where the library?s full-text access begins slightly (6 to 8 months) before the earliest date or slightly (6 to 8 months) after the ending date.
• Also, look for access note, which can be found below the scope note. For instance, there are some resources that offer free full-text access to older material, while more recent volumes or issues require a subscription, which the library does not have.

8. What if I am still having problems accessing e-resources?

You may be encountering a firewall. If you are having problems accessing resources, please contact the system administrator at your location. Ask if they allow for non-standard web port traffic.

If you have any additional questions please call the Reference Desk 487-2507 or  Ask a Librarian.