2019 Charleston Library Conference

Standardization of resource access is of keen interest to many libraries and librarians, especially in light of the new RA21: Resource Access for the 21st Century initiative. With a more standardized approach to resource management, there are persistent concerns including concerns for patron privacy, how the library can benefit from new access management systems, and the nitty-gritty of exactly what implementation looks like. In this session, we will hear from Michelle Colquitt of the Gwinnett Technical College Library, a Technical College System of Georgia Library that participates in the GALILEO consortium, regarding their pilot site implementation of OpenAthens authentication. This discussion will focus on the adoption of OpenAthens as an access management system: to include onboarding, workflow considerations (changes to teaching/chat reference services, content management—in Alma/Primo, SpringShare’s LibGuides, Blackboard LMS, and reporting), and the state of OpenAthens almost a year later. OpenAthens administrator-level functions will also be discussed. This discussion also will cover work with the college’s internal IT department, consortia-level support, and experiences with OpenAthens’ and EBSCO support teams. Andrew Nagy, director of software as a service innovation at EBSCO Information Services, will provide context about how better to understand the changing landscape of authentication, especially in terms of how SAML technology will replace IP authentication. Bring your questions, comments, and concerns for Michelle and Andrew as they help assuage your fears about managing your electronic resources with an access management system.