OpenAthens Authentication

Accessing Library Resources Using OpenAthens

The Library has implemented a new authentication service for online resources.  You will now be asked to authenticate through the Online Passport system for all electronic resources. 

What is OpenAthens?

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.

Students, staff and faculty must log in to access online resources regardless of whether they are on or off campus.  Login credentials are the same as the ones used for your Network login.  

How do I access electronic resources through OpenAthens? 

• Navigate to the Library Search site to find resources. 
• When you click on a licensed resource (ie database, journal article, ebook, etc.) that will take you to the publisher's website, a new page will open from login.openathens.net prompting you to enter in your user ID and password to gain access through the Online Passport (screenshot below).  Enter in your Wheaton network credentials to gain access.  

• Often times, the very first time you encounter a resource using OpenAthens, you may encounter a publisher authentication screen before the above "Online Passport" screen.  The below screen is an example.  In this case, please use the search bar in the Find your institution section and search for Wheaton College.  Select Wheaton College and then you will be prompted with the Online Passport authentication screen.  

Sample screen from EBSCO.  Choose OpenAthens Login and login via the institution.  

In some cases you can get to an article without going through the library website (i.e. from an email or maybe Google Scholar).  Some publishers allow you to sign in using OpenAthens without the need to go back to the library's website to authenticate.  

This can only be done when the publisher has a login screen that has an OpenAthens option. Every publisher is different, but here is an example from Cambridge Core:

This is the next screen you will encounter:

Once you click "select" you will encounter the Wheaton College Online Passport login screen where you can enter your credentials.  

• All visitors and guests on Wheaton's campus that would like to access library resources will need to contact the Library for credentials to authenticate through OpenAthens.  This includes visitors that use the library's visitor computers as well as users that bring their own computer.  Visitors should check in at the circulation desk in the Library or the Main Reading Room in Special Collections to gain credentials.  Please also review our information for visitors.