OpenAthens Authentication
OpenAthens is an identity and IP-based authentication system that provides access to the library's licensed online resources via single sign-on (SSO) technology.
Babson students, staff, and faculty must use their Babson login credentials to access online resources regardless of whether they are on or off campus. Users will only need to authenticate to OpenAthens once per session. An OpenAthens session stays active for up to 8 hours, unless you clear your browser cache and cookies. The authentication process will differ based on whether resources are accessed via library websites or directly from a content provider website.
Website Access
Users access library resources via the library website, including a Find Databases A–Z database list, subject categories, and various database, topical, and course guides.
Discovery Tool
Primo Search replaces Power Search on the library homepage, offering a more intuitive and powerful discovery tool.
Users can:
Alma Link Resolver
Alma's link resolver, integrated with Primo VE, connects external sources like Google Scholar to the library's electronic resources. When a user clicks a link, Alma receives an OpenURL with metadata, locates the matching record in the library's holdings, and provides direct access to the full text or other available options.
Library Catalog (Primo VE)
Primo Search provides simple, one-stop searching for books and e-books, articles, digital media, videos, and more.
Access through Library Computers
As library resources have transitioned from print to online formats, previously limited-access tools—once only available on library computers—have largely been replaced by internet-accessible resources. Currently, Bloomberg remains the only resource requiring use of dedicated computers in the Cutler Center or Library.
For all databases for which usage statistics are available, Horn Library collects statistics on a monthly basis and aggregates them annually by fiscal year. The Electronic Resources Librarian manages the data which come in many disparate formats. Providers do not track usage consistently; items tracked are log-ins, searches, page views, downloads, turn-aways, but not every vendor tracks the same things. COUNTER-compliant usage statistics are preferred and utilized whenever available.
The Electronic Resources Librarian standardizes the data and computes cost per use and percent change in use which serve as metrics for assessing value.
Horn Library launched a user demand-based model of e-book acquisitions in August 2011 as one way of building an e-book collection that better reflects user needs. This demand-driven acquisitions (DDA) collection is on the Ebook Central platform. It began as a primarily business-focused collection and has expanded across all disciplines. The collection is seamlessly integrated with the subscription collection as well as owned titles on the platform. 10-minute use of a title or viewing/downloading/printing 10 pages triggers the purchase of the e-book. Books pre-selected for DDA are published no earlier than two years prior to the current year and also have a cost ceiling. Careful pre-selection of appropriate subjects has resulted in purchases that fit well with Babson's objectives.
In addition, we have a DDA program with JSTOR covering academic publishers across all disciplines. This program was launched in June 2015.
Similarly, Business Expert Press makes "evidence-based acquisitions" available. This entails an up-front payment for access to their entire collection, and at the end of one year, the library can retain for perpetual ownership a set number of titles, selected based on usage. Under this programs, we also select titles to own based on Babson authorship, regardless of usage.
Since 2015, Horn Library has also made streaming film content available to the Babson community through a DDA program with Kanopy.
The key considerations for subscription renewals are: