Understanding federated authentication to library e-resources (FIM4L Working Group)

In this live demonstration we will show the process of federated authentication, also called SSO access to e-resources. We will take ScienceDirect and De Gruyter as an example.

Publishers are offering more advanced platforms with personalization features which require you to login. This raises concerns of privacy issues. Even for Open Access content which is published on their platforms.

Authentication can be managed in the right way, protecting privacy. This is an activity of the LIBER FIM4L working group. More to be found on the website: www.fim4l.org.

Login into a website should be done as seamless and smoothly as possible. Login seems easy, but there is a whole process behind it. In the demonstration we will show this process and uncover all activities happening in the background. From request to delivering.

The demonstration will be supported by some slides.

Technologies behind the scenes which are making the user experience smooth and easy, will be noted, like:

FIM4L recommendations,

REFEDS entity categories,

Seamless Access service,

Exchange of attributes,

Difference between anonymous-, pseudonymous- and personalized access.

Librarians need to understand this login process because of the privacy issues going along with it. Librarians should be able to raise awareness by their patrons about protecting their own privacy when conducting research using publishers’ websites.

This demonstration will help you understand how federated authentication works and hence how this can help (protect) your library patrons.