UiBhelp's public knowledge cards

KI 3370 Access electronic literature in Oria

(updated )
Here you will find information about how electronic access works, who has access, and what applies on campus, from home, and when using VPN.
Who has reading access to what in Oria?
Oria is an open search service (available to everyone) that covers both open and licensed resources. It provides users with different access options, but does not automatically grant reading access to all content (full-text access).
  • Open resources are available without restrictions to all University Library (UB) users.
  • Electronic resources that UiB subscribes to are available to UiB users (UiB students and UiB staff).
  • Selected resources are available to users affiliated with Helse Bergen. (See which e-resources are available to Helse Bergen)


How does access to UB's e-resources work?
Reading access is usually IP-based and is granted to approved IP addresses associated with UiB.
  • All authorized users must use the institution's own solutions to ensure proper authentication.
  • As a UiB user, you get access when connected to the UiB network or UiB's VPN.
  • As a Helse Bergen user, you get access when connected to the Helse Bergen network or VPN (home office solution).
  • Content providers use IP recognition to identify you, so try not to use tools that interfere with proper recognition (eg. Split tunneling).

In short: A regular Oria user can open a resource where an article is hosted by the provider but should not get reading access without meeting additional conditions.

How do I recognize free resources in Oria?
Some electronic resources are published with Open Access and can often be read for free online. If you see an "Open Access" indication in Oria, it usually means that the material is freely available to everyone.

When you open an Open Access record in Oria, you may see different access options:
  • Direct link to PDF or full text.
  • One or more alternative links to the content.
  • No available links – in that case, you can use the option to check if an Open Access version exists on the web.
Important: The Open Access indication in Oria often applies to the entire journal or resource. This does not necessarily mean that all articles in a journal are openly available.


This is how you access the library's e-resources:
Access to full text via Oria
In Oria, you can find e-books, journal articles, and other electronic resources with links to full text. You can also find e-resources that UiB does not have access to, which can be requested.
See how access to full text works in practice:

Access on and off campus
Access on campus (UiB buildings) may be automatically set up for employees, but other users without managed devices must use VPN (Virtual Private Network) to gain access.
Tip: Are you experiencing access issues while on campus? Try VPN.

If you are working off campus (from home or other places), you must connect to VPN to access e-resources – regardless of whether you are a student or employee. This applies to:
  • Private desktop or laptop computers.
  • Tablets or mobile phones.
  • UiB PC or UiB Mac outside campus.
  • Devices and machines outside the Helse Bergen network.
Note! Split tunneling cannot be used.

Employees at Helse Bergen have access to UiB's electronic resources (with some exceptions) at the workplace/hospital network. To gain access outside the workplace, they must contact their IT department to set up VPN or a home office solution.

Access from different machines and devices
To open e-books, articles, and other electronic resources, you must be connected to the UiB network.

How to gain access using a private device (own PC, tablet, mobile):
  • You must always connect to VPN to get access – regardless of where you are.
  • The wireless networks "eduroam" or "UiB-Guest" provide only internet, not access to e-resources.
How to gain access using a UiB machine (PC or Mac managed by UiB):
  • The device is set up with UiB's standard.
  • You have automatic access to all e-resources via the UiB network when you are on campus. If you experience issues, use VPN.
  • Outside campus, you must connect to VPN to access e-resources.
Access for Helse Bergen:
  • Machines on the Helse Bergen network: You have automatic access to e-resources.
  • Private devices or machines outside the Helse Bergen network: You must use Helse Bergen's home office solution or VPN.


I don't have VPN and want to use UiB's e-resources
If you do not have VPN (Virtual Private Network) set up on your device, see the IT department's instructions on how to install and use VPN with Cisco Secure Client on different machines and systems.

Go to the VPN setup guide

Employees at Helse Bergen must contact their IT department to set up VPN or a home office solution.

How to connect to the internet in UiB buildings?
Do you only need internet, not necessarily access to e-resources? See the IT department's guide on how to connect to the wireless network (eduroam or uib-guest) on different devices.

Go to the guide for eduroam and uib-guest

No access to e-resources? Troubleshooting
Check if your IP address starts with 129.177. If not, you are outside the UiB network. You must connect to VPN.

If you are connected to VPN but still cannot access full text, it may be due to outdated cookies or cache in your browser. In such cases, it may help to delete these, or to try another browser or device.

If it still does not work:
Contact the library via UiB Help, and UB will assist you further.
For VPN issues, contact the IT department via UiB Help.


Return to the Oria Knowledge Base homepage by following this link: KI 3300