Introducing SeamlessAccess.org: Delivering a Simpler, Privacy-Preserving Access Experience

Abstract

Managing access to subscribed services in an era of abundance is a major challenge for libraries. Users have come to expect a seamless, personalized experience on their mobile devices, but traditional approaches to access management force librarians to choose between the anonymous ease of onsite IP authentication or the access friction experienced by users authenticating across multiple resources with Single Sign-On. Building on the work of the RA21 initiative, a recent NISO Recommended Practice on Improved Access to Institutionally Provided Information Resources charts a way forward. It will enable libraries to provide seamless, privacy-preserving and one-click access to its subscribed content from any device, any location, and from any starting point in the research process. The implementation of these recommendations will be led by SeamlessAccess.org, starting with a beta phase implementation in the fall of 2019. But how is user and data privacy protected? How is access simplified? How will numerous library use case scenarios be accommodated, and will current accessibility standards be implemented and supported? This paper discusses how these concerns are being addressed by a consortium of industry partners including librarians, access providers, publishers, and standards organizations. It also discusses how the coalition will manage this service for publishers and libraries while continuing to improve this user experience, provide governance on data policy and privacy issues, and maintain core web services specific to this initiative.