Read on to find out how to install and get the most out of LibKey and BrowZine.
Install LibKey
Click here in your chosen browser. When you get to the page, you’ll see an orange button that says 'Get LibKey Nomad Now'. Click on that button, and you’ll drop down to the bottom of the page where you can select the appropriate browser for you. If you prefer, use the shortcut buttons below.
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Download for Chrome |
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Download for Firefox |
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Download for Safari |
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Download for Edge |
After selecting your browser, you’ll be directed to the webstore for that browser. Follow the instructions for your browser to install LibKey Nomad. You don’t need to create an account, just select 'University of Sunderland' from the list. You can either scroll to find it or type in the name.
Now, when you’re searching on the web, just look for the green University of Sunderland logo to connect to full text available from the Library.
Download the User Guide
What is LibKey?
LibKey brings the Library to you!
LibKey is a research tool that delivers one-click access to full-text, library-subscribed and open-access journals and eBooks. LibKey is available as a browser download and can help you find and access resources fast.
What does it do?
- Saves you time when finding articles online.
- Makes it easier to get full-text downloads of articles and eBooks.
- Provides immediate access to subscribed and Open Access content.
- Helps you save citations as you go.
Key features
- Connects to subscribed library content from open web searching. If you are browsing publisher websites, Wikipedia or Amazon books and click on an article or ebook that is available from the Library, LibKey will link you to the subscribed or open access version of the book or article.
- Provides fast, one-click access to the full-text articles of library-subscribed journals and eBooks via a PDF download or article link.
- Searches for open access options when full text is not available.
- Having the browser extension installed on your computer cuts down on clicking from websites like PubMed, publisher websites, Google Scholar and more, giving you instant access to PDFs.
- Can export citations to your chosen citation manager.
Overview
LibKey connects you to the journal content available from the Library wherever you start your research. With LibKey installed, when you search for articles with your chosen internet browser, LibKey will run in the background to quickly find the best way to get you full-text access. When you find an article, LibKey will present you with these options:
- Download PDF: We have this item, and you can instantly download the full-text PDF with one click.
- Article Link: We have this item, and LibKey can link you directly to the article page, where you can access the full-text.
- Manuscript PDF: An open-access version of this article is available. This may not be the final, published version of the article.
- Manuscript Link: An open-access version of this article is available. This may not be the final, published version of the article.
- Access Options: The article may not be immediately available, but we can help you get it.
- View Complete Issue: A link to the BrowZine platform, where you can view the full journal issue in which the article is published, allowing you to find additional, relevant articles.
How you can use LibKey
LibKey works with your reference management software to enable you to save citations on the go. To find out more about reference management software and how to select and install it, please read our Reference Management Software guide.
When you find an article with LibKey, you will see the green logo and a 'Download PDF' message. Just to the right of the message, there is a picture of a 'Scholar's Hat'; clicking on the scholar's hat will enable you to export your citation.
Whilst using LibKey, the referencing options include Zotero, Mendeley, BibTex, RefWorks, EndNote RIS, Citavi RIS and Universal RIS. You can now choose the option that best suits you. Just click on the option for the software you have installed on your browser, and the citation will be saved for you.
Occasionally, whilst browsing on a publisher's website, you may find relevant content that is not available to you, either because the Library does not subscribe to it in electronic or print form, or an alternative open access copy does not exist. When this happens, you will see the 'Access Options' button. Clicking on it will reroute you to Library Search, where you will be able to request an interlibrary loan. This is where we request a copy of the material from another UK higher education institution on your behalf. This service is free of charge to staff and students.
Selecting 'Access Options' will transfer you to the Library Search record for the article. Sign in with your University user ID and password. In the 'How to Get It' section of the article record, you will see that no electronic or physical copy of the article is held by the Library, followed by a link to an interlibrary loan request form.
Select the 'interlibrary loan' link. You will be transferred to an interlibrary loan request form with all of the essential details needed for making the request auto-filled. Complete the form, agree to the terms and conditions, and click submit. Read our Interlibrary Loans guide to find out more.
LibKey is integrated into Library Search to make it faster for you to access online resources. The Library often has access to several platforms for the same item. We may have subscriptions to the same journal article from a number of different suppliers. With LibKey, we show only one link for each type (PDF and HTML), which provides a convenient and quick way for you to access full text with a single click.
If you are familiar with the different platforms and prefer to select a different provider, you can continue to do so by going to the full view of the record and selecting your preferred publisher.
After installing LibKey, you will see the green LibKey banner appear at the bottom of the screen while searching for content in Google. Clicking on the 'Library Search' logo in the banner will open up Library Search so you can browse our subscribed materials on the topic.
LibKey integrates with Amazon Books to link you directly to a library-subscribed copy of books and book chapters. For example, if you are trying to source a book that your tutor has mentioned in a recent lecture, you can search Amazon Books and enter the book title and author. When you have LibKey installed on your browser, you will see a pop-up option to 'View E-Book' next to the University of Sunderland green icon, as in the example picture below.
Clicking on the icon will route you to the ebook that the Library has access to. After being prompted to log in with your University user ID and password, you will be able to read the ebook online or download a chapter.
LibKey works with PubMed to make it easier to see at a glance which of the article search results are available through your Library. When you run a search in PubMed you will see the various access options shown in the image below.
If you go to the Sunderland Echo website, you will see that a green banner appears at the bottom of the page; this is LibKey letting you know that we have full access to the Sunderland Echo via Global Newstream.
Clicking on the banner where it says 'Search Global Newsstream will redirect your search to the Global Newsstream database to access our full-text content from the Sunderland Echo.
When using Wikipedia, LibKey will highlight subscribed journal articles that appear in the references section of Wikipedia and provide various options such as ‘Download PDF’, 'Article Link' and 'Manuscript PDF'. If there is no Library subscription or open access version available, you will see the ‘Access Options’ button, which will direct you to the Library website to request an interlibrary loan.
Find articles by DOI or PMID
LibKey io
LibKey.io is a simple search interface that enables you to find the full-text of an article by using just the DOI or PubMed ID (PMID). Use our embedded box above to try it for yourself.
LibKey.io is helpful to anyone with a DOI or PMID, advanced researchers who are comfortable with citations, academic staff, and Library staff.