Lean Library: the library in your browser

Lean Library is a tool which offers quick and easy access to online information resources (databases and e-journals), and to articles in open access. You can download this browser extension for off-campus library access for free. After you have installed the browser extension, you select ‘University of Groningen’ and the extension is ready for use!

How does it work?

The browser extension works like this: if you visit a website the library has a license for, you will get a notification. Click once to open the site via the library and get access. The browser extension displays its icon in your bookmarks bar. It works almost like a traffic light. If the icon is green, then you have access. If the material you’d like to use doesn’t seem accessible, Library Access will automatically check for open access versions of the article.

Example advantage Lean Library

Below you see an example of an article for which an access fee applies. Lean Library checks whether an alternative exists, and finds an open access article.