Troubleshooting Library Electronic Resources

Have a problem accessing library electronic resources? Here are some helpful tips for troubleshooting, or knowing what to do when you come across a problem. If you still have difficulty accessing the resource after troubleshooting, reach out to librarysupport@rowan.edu with the name of the resource, the specific problem/error you encountered, and screenshots.

• Common Quick Fixes

Other common issues you may come across:

• Error 400, "Bad Request", or page times out
• Paywalls preventing access
• “Oops! This resource is not configured for access” error message
• Link leads to wrong resource or shows no results found

1. Make sure you navigate to resources using the Library Search or Database Finder. These links are specially configured to recognize and authenticate Rowan University users. Don’t use bookmarked or direct links to electronic resources, as they may be subject to breaking over time.

2. Clear your browser cache and cookies. This is a quick and easy way to fix many common access issues.

3. Force a logout by clicking here to reset authentication tokens and session variables.

4. Try a different internet browser, and make sure that whatever browser you are using is the most up-to-date version.

These errors may specifically say "error 400", display as a blank page, or state that the page has timed out. This is a common error that can often be fixed by clearing your cache/cookies. If that does not resolve the problem, then please report this issue to librarysupport@rowan.edu, or by clicking the red "Report a Problem" link in the item record.

You may encounter a paywall for one of the following reasons:

• You are not accessing the resource through a link from the Library Search or Database Finder. Make sure to always start from the library website to ensure proper authentication to library resources.
• The content provider is not providing the correct access, or there is erroneous coverage data in the library catalog. If an ebook or article appears as "Available Online" in a library search but is not actually available at the content provider, then there may be an issue behind the scenes. Please report this issue to librarysupport@rowan.edu, or by clicking the red "Report a Problem" link in the item record.

• The library does not have entitlement to access the content. If this is the case, you can request the resource via Interlibrary Loan. 

If you see this error message, then something needs to be fixed behind the scenes. Click the "Report This Error" button and include your name, Rowan email address, and information about the resource you were trying to access (name of the resource, where you were trying to access it from, etc.).

Occasionally, links within the library search may fail to function properly due to errors originating either from the catalog itself or from the content provider. These links may lead to an error message on the content provider, or incorrect content altogether. Please report this issue to librarysupport@rowan.edu, or by clicking the red "Report a Problem" link in the item record.