OpenAthens

OpenAthens is a Single Sign On (SSO) service that we rolled out for our researchers in April 2024.

What is Single Sign On (SSO)?

A Single Sign On (SSO) service allows users to have a single username and password to login to different sites. OpenAthens is one 'brand' of SSO, run through JISC, which is a UK non-profit that focuses on higher education and technology. OpenAthens is popular with higher education and cultural heritage institutions.

Where can I login with my OpenAthens SSO acount?

We have implemented OpenAthens SSO for the Folger's library systems and library subscription databases. These include:

• the catalog
• your request account (for requesting items in the Reading Room or for Virtual Reference)
• subscription databases that require a login for access

On the back end of our systems, we have linked researchers' OpenAthens accounts to their existing catalog accounts, request accounts, and database accounts. That is, the OpenAthens login does not change anything about your acocunts, including your past borronwing history. It simply makes it possible for you to use a single username and password to login to these sites. If you are affiliated with a university, you have likely seen Single Sign On accounts already, since you can probably use one username and password at your institution to login to most of the systems and sites there.