[OPLINTECH] EZproxy

[Don Yarman]

I would be interested in hearing from libraries that are
using EZproxy to allow remote access to databases.  Do 
you like it?  Has it simplified or complicated remote patron
access to databases?  Do you think it's robust enough 
to handle OPLIN's authentication needs on a statewide
scale?

OPLIN's remote access is currently accomplished by complex
database tricks:  we validate library users, and then
plug library-specific variables into a URL that passes
along a username and password.  Or sometimes, as I explained
last week with the OhioLINK databases, we validate through
referring URL.  The former gives us better stats than
the latter, but none of it is very pretty.

Any thoughts or opinions you might have for me are
welcome.

     Your most humble and obedient servant,

                          Don Yarman
                          OPLIN Library Services Manager
                          yarmando@oplin.org