In May of 2026, U of T Libraries is launching a new authentication system, OpenAthens. This service will make it easier for students, faculty, and researchers to access library e-resources from anywhere, at any time, using a single login.

The transition to OpenAthens is part of UTL’s ongoing work to provide seamless, secure and user-centered research services for our community.

Why this change matters
Accessing e-resources through LibrarySearch is generally straightforward. However, users often encounter barriers when accessing resources directly from publisher websites or through tools like Google. These can include paywalls, repeated login and authentication requests that can be frustrating and interrupt the research process.

How it works
OpenAthens uses single sign-on (SSO) to connect students and researchers to e-resources both on and off campus. Whether accessing materials though LibrarySearch, Google or directly through an e-resource platform like JSTOR or ProQuest, OpenAthens will ensure you can swiftly access the material you need - without needing to log in over and over. Once you’ve signed in, you can access a variety of e-resources, for up to eight hours uninterrupted.

What to expect
Our goal is to ensure a smooth rollout and an improved research experience for the entire U of T community. Here’s what you need to know about this transition, when it will be happening and the next steps going forward for patrons and faculty.

OpenAthens – Questions and Answers

When will this new system be implemented?
The new system will go live the week of May 19th.

Why is UTL making this change?
Our current e-resource access process can become complicated, involving multiple vendor logins and authentication requirements within and outside the U of T environment. OpenAthens uses single sign-on (SSO) to streamline the e-resource process for all access points, both on and off-campus. It allows the library to manage access more directly, resolve access problems more quickly, and ultimately supports a simpler and more accessible online research experience with fewer interruptions.

What changes will I see?
Patrons will not notice too many changes.

You will need to log into your UTORid to access e-resources both on and off campus.

Do I still have to log in when I’m on campus, even while connected to U of T servers using wi-fi and VPN?
Yes, you will have to sign into UTORid both on and off campus to use OpenAthens. However, you will only need to log in once for each session, which typically lasts eight hours, or until you close your browser. This will also allow you to move seamlessly between different resources without needing to log in again.

Why is the session time eight hours? Why not longer?

The 8-hour session time is set by the OpenAthens software, and isn't something we can configure ourselves for the library. The idea is to provide a session length that balances a good user experience and good security practices. Since eight hours is a typical work/school day, it allows most users to remain authenticated throughout the day. Requiring re-authentication after eight hours reduces the likelihood of an unauthorized user gaining access to an account, and ensures they don't maintain access past that reauthentication window.

Does OpenAthens work outside the library catalogue/library website?
Yes. If you are searching for an e-resource in Google or visiting a vendor website directly, OpenAthens allows for WAYF (“where are you from”) options. This means that if you go directly to a vendor website, you can search U of T through a “Find Your Institution” drop-down menu. If the resource falls under U of T’s license, you will be taken to the UTORid login page, where you can access your resource, and easily navigate to others. Please see the attached images below for examples of WAYF.

Is there anything else I need to do?
The library will be responsible for updating links in the Library Reading List app, and links to LibrarySearch, LibGuides, and the A-Z list will continue to work.
During the week of May 19th, you will only have to update links where you see myaccess.library in the URL in materials you manage, including:

Browser bookmarks
Citation managers such as Zotero
Course syllabi and Quercus

What links will I need to update the week of May 19th?

Myaccess links appear in a couple of different formats.

(1) If your saved URL looks like this: https://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://books.scholarsportal.info/en

You'll need to update it by removing everything up to and including "url=", and replace it with the OpenAthens prefix, like so:
https://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://books.scholarsportal.info/en >>> https://go.openathens.net/redirector/utoronto.ca?url=https://books.scholarsportal.info

(2) If your saved URL looks like this: https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en

You'll need to update it by removing myaccess.library.utoronto.ca, changing the dashes (-) to dots (.), and adding the OpenAthens prefix, like so:

https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en >>> https://go.openathens.net/redirector/utoronto.ca?url=https://books.scholarsportal.inf

You can begin updating these links the week of May 19th, when OpenAthens launches and becomes active. However, we recommend you start reviewing the links in your materials now to determine what updates need to be made. Please reach out to your liaison librarian if you have questions or require assistance.

Will I immediately lose access to all my previous links?
During the week of May 19th, we’ve identified “Go Live” vendors who only support one method of authentication at a time. Once these vendors have switched to OpenAthens SSO, the old links will stop working. These vendors will include:

BMJ
Gale/Cengage
EBSCO
Henry Stewart Talks
ICE Learning Center
Informit
medici.tv
Mintel
O'Reilly eBooks
OverDrive
Parliament Now
ProQuest
Alexander Street
Psychotherapy.net
Swank Digital Campus
Techstreet Enterprise
Ebook Central
Audio Cine Films (ACF)
CHEMnetBASE

For all other vendors, access will continue to work through EZProxy for a period of time.

Will I still be able to add citations & PDFs directly from the browser using the Zotero extension?

Yes! Zotero will continue to function as normal in all browsers. If you've stored our old proxy information in your Zotero extension, you will have to remove it. Here's how:

Right-click on the Zotero Connector extension in your browser.
Select 'Options' and then 'Proxies'.
If the 'Enable proxy redirection' box is checked, you should uncheck it.
If you see this URL: https://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url= in the 'Configured Proxies' box, remove it.

Will this affect any shortlinks I’ve created (such as uoft.me)?
If the full URL in your uoft.me shortlink includes “myaccess”, then yes it will need to be updated.

What about visiting faculty or researchers? Can I set up an OpenAthens account for them?
We recommend visiting the Library Membership Services page on the UTL website.The section on Affiliated Researchers provides next steps on research access for visiting faculty/scholars.

How secure is OpenAthens?
OpenAthens uses a range of measures to secure its applications and data, ensuring good security practices are embedded across the organization. The library does not share any personally identifiable user information with OpenAthens or vendors whose content you access through OpenAthens authentication.
For more information about OpenAthens’ security measures, please visit the OpenAthens website.

Who can I contact for questions and support?
Faculty members should reach out to liaison librarians for assistance and next steps regarding updating their materials. For general support with OpenAthens, please reach out to Library Help at libraryhelp@utoronto.ca.

University of Toronto Libraries Revamps E-Resource Access with OpenAthens