Q. Why can't I log in? I think I have the right username and password to log on, but I can't authenticate. Help!

We're so sorry you are having difficulty; it's completely annoying and frustrating when this happens.  And it's always at an inconvenient time, too.  We will be happy to help you but it likely will take some time.  So please:

1) Send us an e-mail at library@potsdam.edu to let us know what is happening.  The more details you can provide, the more likely we'll be able to help.  This also lets us know something is happening that might be bigger than just you, so please, do email. Let us know how you like to be contacted when we respond.

2) If you're on-campus and the library is open, you might be able to get to resources without logging in by using a computer in the library (hours).  Most of our databases recognize the IP addresses of the computers on the academic side of campus and don't require a log-in there.

3) If you need some help finding resources you can get right away, you can use our 24/7 chat service which is staffed by librarians who might be able to figure something out even when you can't get to our resources right away.  They won't be able to fix your log-in problem, but they are crackerjack researchers who love to help students find stuff.  If you still need help after chatting, this will also result in a ticket sent to us that we will follow-up on with you.  This is a good solution for needing SOME resources, but may or may not work if you need a particular thing (but still worth asking! You never know!)

But why isn't your login working? There could be a number of reasons.

First, library resources -- databases through JSTOR, Ebscohost, ILLIAD or ProQuest for example -- require you to authenticate using your Campus Computer Account (CCA) username and password.  In order to access these databases with your CCA from off-campus, you must connect to them from the links provided on the Libraries' web site.  Directly accessing JSTOR.org, for example, and then trying to authenticate will not work. 

• Go to our alphabetical list of databases to find the correct link.  If that doesn't work,
• Check here for an FAQ about the CCA from the Computing and Technical Services folks.

Second, other library services might be independent of your CCA -- even if that is the name you chose when you set up your account.  For example, research accounts that you set up independently through our vendors to track your searches and articles are accessed using whatever username and password you chose when you established the account.  Try to find the link provided by the vendor for a forgotten password or resetting an account.

Third, there are some specific problems that crop up with certain categories of users (e.g. individuals who were students but are now staff or vice versa), particularly with our QuickSearch/Catalog interface (also called Primo, Alma, and Discovery - this is the main search box on the library homepage).  You may be able to get what you need by going directly to a particular database rather than trying to use this interface, but you will need to contact us directly to solve this as it is not a CCA problem, but a library system problem.  

Hang in there and do contact us!  We will work with you to solve your problem.