Having trouble using one of our databases?

Please try the following:

1. Verify your barcode and PIN. Your barcode should have 14 digits and should be entered with no spaces between the numbers (e.g. 20080001234567, not 2 0080 00123 4567). Your PIN is automatically assigned as the last four digits of your home telephone number. To update or verify your PIN, please contact your local branch or the Main Library Circulation Desk. Although the "My Account" component is not related to database access, you can verify your barcode and pin by logging into your account. If you successfully log in, you will see your name in the top right corner. If you are unable to log in, please contact your local branch or the Main Library Circulation Desk to confirm or reset your PIN.

2. Verify that you are using Internet Explorer 6 or higher or Netscape Navigator 6 or higher. The AOL browser will not work with some of our databases. In order to access some of our databases, you must use an Internet browser that supports JavaScript. For the two most popular browsers, Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator, this means using version 4.0 or above. If your browser does not support JavaScript, you may receive error messages such "patron not found."

3. Verify that cookies are enabled on your computer.

4. Clear cookies from your computer.

5. Clear temporary Internet files (cache) from your computer.

6. Internet and Windows firewalls will block access to some databases. Therefore, you may need to adjust your settings to allow access or temporarily turn them off. Windows XP firewall settings can be viewed by clicking Start > Settings > Control Panel > Windows Firewall. If you have Norton Internet Security, please be sure to set your "Security" and "Personal Firewall" to "off." Remember to restore your settings when you are finished.

How do I enable cookies from my computer in order to access the databases?

The authentication program we use for remote access to our databases requires cookies in order to work properly. Additionally, many of the databases themselves require cookies in order to allow you access. If you have your cookies disabled, or if the cookie is corrupted, you will not be able to access the databases: you might see an invalid authorization notice or a message that says "welcome to [[null]]." If you are not sure what cookies are, you can get more information from the Unofficial Cookie FAQ.

These instructions assume that you are using the most recent versions of Netscape Navigator/Communicator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer as your Internet browser. If you are using the built-in Internet browser in America Online, Compuserv, or another ISP, we suggest that you download and use a separate copy of another browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

In Internet Explorer 6.x, choose the "Tools" pull-down menu and select "Internet Options.",The Internet Options dialog box will open with the "General" tab showing. Choose the "Privacy" tab at the top of the window. Then, use the sliding bar to change your privacy settings to "low" or "accept all cookies." You may be able to use the "medium" or "medium high" settings, but some databases (specifically Reference USA) may require a lower setting. When you've changed the setting, click OK.

In Netscape Communicator 6.x or 7x, choose the "Edit" pull-down menu and select "Preferences." The preferences window will open. Choose the "privacy and security" option from the list on the left and double-click it. A sub-menu will appear below. Click on the "cookies" label to display those options on the right side of the window. Click on one of the "enable cookies" options. If you're not sure which one to choose, then choose the "enable all cookies" option.

If cookies are enabled, but Remote Patron Authentication (RPA) still doesn't work, try deleting all cookies and then trying again. We have found that many times the cookie that RPA leaves on your hard drive can become corrrupted.

How do I clear cookies from my computer in order to access the databases?

These instructions assume that you are using the most recent versions of Netscape Navigator/Communicator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer as your Internet browser. If you are using the built-in Internet browser in America Online, Compuserv, or another ISP, we suggest that you download and use a separate copy of another browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

In Internet Explorer 6.x, choose the "Tools" pull-down menu and select "Internet Options," The "Internet Options" dialog box will open with the "General" tab showing. Mid-way down the box, you'll see a heading labeled "Temporary Internet Files" with three buttons labeled "Delete Cookies", "Delete Files" and "Settings." Click on the "Delete Cookies" button. A confirmation box will appear that says "Delete all cookies in the Temporary Interenet Files folder?" Click OK.

In Netscape Communicator 6.x or 7x, choose the "Edit" pull-down menu and select "Preferences." The preferences window will open. Choose the "Privacy and Security" option from the list on the left and double-click it. A sub-menu will appear below. Click on the "Cookies" label to display those options on the right side of the window. Click on the button labeled "Manage Stored Cookies" ("View Stored Cookies" in Netscape 6.x). The Cookie Manager/Viewer window will appear. Click on the button labeled "Remove all Cookies." Then click OK to close the Cookie Manager and then click OK again to close the Preferences window. Close the browser and then re-open it. You should now be able to access the databases.

How do I clear the temporary Internet files (cache) from my computer in order to access the databases?

Once you've cleared the cookies from your browser, you may also need to clear your temporary Internet files to ensure that your browser is pulling a fresh copy of the Web page, and not an old copy that's stored on your hard drive. Every Internet browser keeps copies of the Web pages you visit in its memory (or cache). This facilitates a quicker download when you re-visit that page. Clearing the cache forces the browser to actually re-visit the server and get a fresh copy of a particular Web page, rather than using the cached copy.

These instructions assume that you are using the most recent versions of Netscape Navigator/Communicator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer as your Internet browser. If you are using the built-in Internet browser in America Online, Compuserv, or another ISP, we suggest that you download and use a separate copy of another browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. If you are using an older version of Netscape Navigator/Communicator or Internet Explorer, you can find instructions for your particular version here.

For Internet Explorer (version 6.x and above), you can clear the cache by choosing the Tools pull-down menu (the View pull-down menu in version 4.0) and choosing "Internet Options." Under the General tab, click the "Delete Files" button under the heading "Temporary Internet Files," then click OK. Close the browser and then re-open it. For Netscape (version 6.x and 7.x) you can clear the cache by choosing the "Edit" pull-down menu, and choosing "Preferences." In the left side of the new window that appears, double-click on "Privacy and Security," and then choose "Cache" from the sub-menu that appears. Then, on the right side of the screen, click on the button labeled "Clear Memory Cache" and click OK. Then click on the button labeled "Clear Disk Cache" and click OK. Click OK to close the preferences window. Close and re-open the browser.

Your system authenticated me, but then the Web page I ended up on is still asking for a user name and password.

Internet and Windows firewalls will block access to some databases. Therefore, you may need to adjust your settings to allow access or temporarily turn them off. Windows XP firewall settings can be viewed by clicking Start > Settings > Control Panel > Windows Firewall. If you have Norton Internet Security, please be sure to set your "Security" and "Personal Firewall" to "off." Remember to restore your settings when you are finished.

If you've already been authenticated by our system, then there may be a problem with the database itself. You can wait a while and try again, or contact our Technology Department. We can contact the vendor to find out whether there is a problem.