Distance Learning

Connecting to Tulane and General Tips

These hints might save you time and help with troubleshooting Internet problems.

1. The Rudolph Matas Library's home page is the starting point for almost everything discussed here, so save it as a favorite or bookmark in your browser at http://medlib.tulane.edu. To get to any Tulane-restricted electronic resource, look for the key icon in the middle of the home page and "If off-campus, click here to authenticate". After entering your Tulane Internet account id/password on the next page, you'll be returned to our home page. If you do not have a password or cannot remember it call the Tulane Help Desk at (504) 862-8888.

2. If you are not able to get to the Tulane University Proxy Site Authentication page to enter your id/password, it almost certainly indicates a security firewall, which many businesses, hospitals, and even some home computers have. Discuss this with your Information Technology department to see if they can eliminate the problem (Tulane uses EZ Proxy). If you have a personal firewall on your desktop computer, it may need to be adjusted or disabled while you're trying to access the proxy server. Contact a technical support specialist or contact us at the Rudolph Matas Library for assistance.

3. Other authentication problems could be password related. Make sure you are using the correct case and your correct or current password. To test your id/password, try to log into WebMail, the Tulane e-mail system. If you CANNOT log in, it is surely a password problem and you should contact your department.

   For other technical assistance, try the Tulane Help Desk at (504)862-8888 or at http://tis.tulane.edu/ "HelpU 24.7" tab. Identify yourself as a SPHTM distance student.

4. In moving from one database to another or to an electronic journal, you might get knocked out of the Tulane system. For example, if you are using Ovid and link to an electronic journal, you might be blocked at that point. You may have to go back to our home page and authenticate again.

5. Internet response times can vary greatly depending on time of day, amount of traffic, capacity of individual computers, etc. Once a session, clean out electronic "junk" in your browser. In Mozilla Firefox go to Tools, Clear Private Data. In Internet Explorer go to Tools, Delete Browsing History, and Delete Temporary Internet Files.

6. Many online databases will time out after around 10 minutes of inactivity, so be careful of stopping in mid-search to chat on the phone or to launch out into cyberspace following interesting links. You might lose all your hard work on your current search.

7. Most paid subscription databases and e-journals have a limited number of simultaneous connections, so you might get some type of "busy" message. Usually you can get in within a few minutes, so keep trying. To free up a line for other users, always Logoff or Exit the database before moving on.

The Reference staff is available weekdays 8:00 - 5:00 (CST). If you need assistance with a search, feel free to call us at (504) 988-5155. Help is also available via email when you Ask a Librarian or medref@tulane.edu. Please mention that you are a distance student.

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