Automatic Login is a way for HathiTrust member libraries to use their institution’s authentication system to automatically login users to HathiTrust when they visit our homepage or access titles from a local catalog. By wrapping a HathiTrust URL or HathiTrust item with a single sign-on URL, it is possible to effectively “automatically” login users to HathiTrust.
Libraries using Automatic Login create a more seamless experience for their users by reducing the number of clicks and number of login requests required to access the HathiTrust Digital Library. Users who login to HathiTrust have immediate access to their member benefits including full downloads of public domain items and ability to create permanent collections.
There are multiple scenarios in which automatic login may improve user access to HathiTrust:
- Provide a permanent url for an item to share in a syllabus or LibGuide
- Offer immediate login at the HathiTrust homepage
- Create links in a local catalog to pass users directly to logged in access for selected items
Instructions for creating the Automatic Login using single-sign-on URLS are found in the Resources for Librarians section of the website. To request assistance with the process, contact support@hathitrust.org.