Royal Library Belgium
Get secure e-resource access for remote users and actionable usage insights
"Remote access to e-resources emerged as a priority area in our digital transformation program. Having surveyed the solutions available, we're satisfied that we made the right choice with EZproxy. We found it remarkably easy to get remote access up and running in a short period of time."
Marie-Sophie Bercegeay
E-resource Department, KBR
Responsible for preserving historical artifacts of Belgian heritage, Royal Library Belgium (KBR) undertook a major modernization project in 2019. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this digital transformation initiative with months of closure and strict regulations. As a result, users were unable to consult the library's collections from home. KBR identified remote access as a key priority.
The library wanted every user to be able to consult its 100 databases, 5,000 periodicals, and 65,000 e-books.
"We explored the different types of remote access solutions available," said Marie-Sophie Bercegeay from KBR's e-resources department. "The majority of them provided proxy-based access. The question of authentication then arose, as we wanted a service that provided secure access based on our existing user accounts. OCLC was the only vendor to offer this kind of solution. With EZproxy®, we would be able to provide a SAML-based single sign-on service, so we decided to work with OCLC."
EZproxy access and authentication software gives KBR users secure access to institutional e-resources at any time and from any location. It seamlessly interoperates with the library's authentication method. Access to electronic content goes through the institution's proxy IP address set up by EZproxy and agreed to by its content providers. After a successful two-week trial, the library launched remote access to all users.
"EZproxy Analytics gives us a deeper understanding of how our resources are used. This helps with decision-making—we can use the data to determine whether to renew or cancel specific resources in our collections."
Robust analytics were another critical component of the team's plans. Shortly after providing remote access, OCLC implemented EZproxy Analytics for the library. Marie-Sophie and her colleagues are impressed by the capabilities of the combined solution and relieved by the easy process to get from purchase to launch. According to the team, implementation was efficient and straightforward, requiring very little technical input from KBR.
EZproxy Analytics now helps the KBR team collect, enhance, and visualize usage data about licensed e-resources. It delivers up-to-date, actionable insights, providing a clear picture of who is viewing KBR e-resources, when and where they're accessing them, and what type of user they are. The perspective gained from this comprehensive view has strong strategic value.
"We include these statistics in our annual report," said Marie-Sophie. "EZproxy Analytics gives us a deeper understanding of how our resources are used. We can use the data to identify which resources to renew or cancel. It's proving to be a powerful tool to support more informed decisions."
Location
- Brussels, Belgium
- Collects all Belgian publications and is responsible for more than eight million documents
- Employs 259 people who help preserve, manage, and study Belgium's vast cultural and historical heritage
- Added more than 32,000 books, 24,000 periodicals, and 16,500 digital publications in 2020
- Supported 515,000 online catalog searches and 850,000 webpage visits in 2020
Related stories
Get meaningful e-resource data to support ROI
Learn about ways The University of Manchester evaluates the value of e-resources and library services.
Transform remote e-resource access without the overhead cost
Find out how the University of Suffolk provides seamless e-resource access without the problems of locally deployed systems.