Why do we need a proxy server?
Almost all of our database vendors allow access only if your machine's Internet (IP) address is recognized as belonging to the CSU campus. The proxy server allows people who are off campus to access these restricted databases.
How does this proxy server work?
Your web browser communicates with the proxy server in the Information Technology Division “cold room”, which communicates with the database’s web site for you. This makes it appear that you are on campus. The links to our databases are designed to do this for you automatically.
How do I use it?
As a patron, you don’t have to do anything special to make this work. When you click on a properly formed link from our web pages, our web server decides whether you need the proxy server. If you are off campus, you will be prompted for your CSU email username and password. Other email accounts such as Yahoo or Google will not work. Once that’s verified, you’ll get a link to begin using the database through the proxy server. Your connection will stay authorized until either you close your web browser, or don’t communicate with the proxy server for two hours.
What if I don’t know my CSU username or password?
Visit ITD Services for assistance.
Why don’t my bookmarks to "http://bluestem.csu.edu:2048/..." work?
URLs are automatically generated by the proxy server and they are variable. If you make a bookmark, and later reuse it, you may get an error, or be taken to the wrong server. Don’t create bookmarks if the browser shows a URL beginning with "http://bluestem.csu.edu:2048".
When using Google Scholar you must set your preferences.
NB: We are in the process of integrating CSU links with Google Scholar, but have not yet completed this process as of 4/2/2007.
On the Google Scholar page there is a link to Scholar Preferences. This is where you would indicate that you are able to get full access via the Chicago State University. By setting the preferences you will be connected to the articles by the CSU proxy software. [currently unavailable]
What if my network has its own HTTP proxy server?
Ours should still work with it. Unlike a standard HTTP proxy server, the Library proxy presents web pages that appear to come from a normal web server. It does this by searching the content of the pages it retrieves on your behalf, and rewriting the URLs so they refer back to itself instead of the remote servers it proxies. Therefore, you should not change your web browser's proxy settings to use our service.
