Hong Ma
Head of Library Systems, Interim Associate Dean for User Services
Loyola University Chicago
Margaret Heller
Digital Services Librarian
Loyola University Chicago
Libraries need to participate in the broader federated identity management community. Academic libraries were able to rely on IP-based authentication and proxy servers for decades. In recent years, the RA 21: Resource Access for the 21st Century initiative started a push to move away from IP authentication since it no longer reflects the realities of research for many people. That initiative has become a service called SeamlessAccess, which was designed to enable a more streamlined online access experience by enabling digital authentication through an individual’s home institution while maintaining an environment that protects personal data and privacy. SeamlessAccess participants include content providers, publishers, and service provides, yet the library community has not participated in these initiatives to the extent that such a transformative agenda requires. Librarians must understand federated authentication and its implications, and be ready to participate in federations fully as advocates for our needs and those of our users, particularly when it comes to privacy. This presentation will present a brief history and current landscape of federated authentication, and demonstrate where library participation is necessary, particularly with regard to learning analytics.