EZproxy project status 2/9/2009

Nearly all of our collections of URLs have now been proxied: e-journal locator (aka Serials Solutions), the new library Web site, Class/Libguides, the RDL, Reserves, and Janice recently proxied over 325,000 links in Homer!

The next steps are:

1. Continue monitoring the system for configuration errors: URLs EZP doesn’t know about but should and URLs that have been proxied by mistake (free stuff).
2. Turn on proxying in SFX.
3. Monitor for errors
4. Alert users that they no longer need to use the VPN to access library resources.

Why this measured approach? We are proxying over 400,000 URLs in a short period of time. Typically, libraries add resources to their EZP servers a few at a time, as new things are acquired. In this approach errors come up just a few at a time, but our approach of mass proxing could lead to many errors appearing at once. This hasn’t happened yet, but as usage increases, it still could. Also, there are some issues we’ve identified that we’d like to resolve before proceeding more aggressively.

Stephanie has been blogging posts about EZP at http://elibraryuconn.blogspot.com/ There you’ll find instructions on how and when to proxy and tips on specialized things like NetLibrary.

Thanks –Nicholas & Stephanie