Access to Athens resources for UK HE and FE institutions

If your institution is currently subscribed to Athens but has not committed to OpenAthens from 1 August 2008 it is important that you read the following information. 

On 1 August 2008 institutions who have not subscribed to OpenAthens will no longer be able to access Athens-protected resources. From this date, users and staff from non-subscribing institutions will be unable to access resources via Athens or OpenAthens.

It is important to us to respect your data, and also to provide enough opportunity to make institutions, their staff and students, aware of the available options.

There are three options for all existing Athens subscribers regarding how we handle your data.

Option 1

Institutions can instruct us to keep their account data for three months, until 1 October 2008. We will provide appropriate messages to administrators or users whose account data we still hold and who are attempting to access resources using OpenAthens. These messages will advise users to contact their library for guidance on how to access their resources.

This option will also enable an institution to subscribe to OpenAthens between 1 August and 31 October 2008 without resubmission of data.

Option 2 (this will apply if we do not hear from an institution by 31 July)

Institutions can instruct us to keep their account data until 31 August 2008.

Again, during this period Eduserv will aim to provide appropriate messages to any Administrators or users whose account data we hold and who are attempting to access resources using OpenAthens.

Option 3

Institutions can instruct us to delete account data with effect from 1 August 2008. We will be unable to provide Administrators or users attempting to use the service with a relevant message explaining why they aren’t able to access resources.

Please download the Account Data Instructions form and return it to us with your choice. As stated above, if we do not hear from an institution then the default action is Option 2.

If your organisation still plans to subscribe to OpenAthens we recommend that the Commitment Form is completed and returned to us as soon as possible to ensure uninterrupted access – and by 12pm 31 July 2008.

Please contact us at openathens@eduserv.org.uk if you need any further advice.