Wikipedia talk:The Wikipedia Library/Archive 6
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Oxford bibliographies
Hi all—I'm not getting full access to oxford bibliographies articles through the Wikipedia library. This seems to have just began yesterday; I had no issues in the past. Any ideas? Aza24 (talk) 20:31, 4 July 2021 (UTC)
I don't get access to Oxford Art Olnine and Oxford Reference. No issues in the past. So it seems that there is something wrong with all Oxford titles. Someone knows what is the problem?--Nous (talk) 14:40, 6 July 2021 (UTC)
- Just checked my access to those two as well and it doesn't seem available either (through the default library bundle). This is a first through me... anyone have any ideas?? Aza24 (talk) 15:06, 6 July 2021 (UTC)
- @Aza24 and Nous: I'm off work this week but will look into this Monday morning for you. I suspect our access has simply lapsed at OUP's end, so I'll ask them to renew it if so. Sam Walton (talk) 16:05, 6 July 2021 (UTC)
Thank you in advance:)--Nous (talk) 16:32, 6 July 2021 (UTC)
Hope the fix is as easy as you say. Looking forward to getting back in. Thanks! Glendoremus (talk) 16:24, 10 July 2021 (UTC)
The same is true for the music collection - and for me. Seems rather ubiqtious. DMT biscuit (talk) 13:36, 11 July 2021 (UTC)
- As promised I've confirmed the issue and sent an email over to our contact at Oxford University Press. Hopefully they should be able to get us configured to continue having access before too long. I'll update here when I hear more. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:33, 12 July 2021 (UTC)
- Thanks. All Oxford Publications seem to have been purged out of TWL? TrangaBellam (talk) 11:51, 13 July 2021 (UTC)
- @TrangaBellam: We just disabled them for now to avoid confusion - we got a lot of emails from folks wondering why it wasn't working, and we figured removing the collections was less confusing. I hope to reactivate them before too long :) Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 12:57, 13 July 2021 (UTC)
- Thanks. All Oxford Publications seem to have been purged out of TWL? TrangaBellam (talk) 11:51, 13 July 2021 (UTC)
When we will renew, pls ping me mates! I will be watching the page anywayz.Cinadon36 18:01, 19 July 2021 (UTC)
- Likewise. –♠Vami_IV†♠ 17:50, 21 July 2021 (UTC)
- +1 on this. Hope it is not gone forever! ネイ (talk) 01:19, 5 August 2021 (UTC)
- Hi @Samwalton9 (WMF):—any news on this? Apologies if I come across as hasty, but I just wanted to check in. Aza24 (talk) 15:36, 31 July 2021 (UTC)
- @Aza24: I've got a call with OUP this week where I hope to make some progress - sorry this is taking a while. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 08:10, 2 August 2021 (UTC)
- Quick update - it sounds like this should be resolved next week, I'll update when I know for sure. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 09:04, 5 August 2021 (UTC)
@Aza24, Nous, Glendoremus, DMT biscuit, TrangaBellam, Cinadon36, Vami IV, and ネイ: Oxford University Press resources are now available again, and I'm pleased to add that Oxford Research Encyclopedias will also be added soon :) Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 08:53, 6 August 2021 (UTC)
- Very good, very good news. –♠Vami_IV†♠ 09:25, 6 August 2021 (UTC)
What a great news! Thank you for your work:)--Nous (talk) 09:23, 6 August 2021 (UTC)
- Great to hear. DMT Biscuit (talk) 11:27, 6 August 2021 (UTC)
Thank you! Glendoremus (talk) 15:33, 6 August 2021 (UTC)
That's excellent news! Thank you, Samwalton9 (WMF) for your effort! Regards, Aschmidt (talk) 21:39, 7 August 2021 (UTC)
Great news @Samwalton9 (WMF): many thanks! How long will it be available? Cinadon36 07:55, 8 August 2021 (UTC)
- @Cinadon36: At least the next 12 months, and I've made a note for us to check back in with them before our access expires next so that we can avoid further downtime :) Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:34, 10 August 2021 (UTC)
Thank you very much! From the above reply I recon the cause is the Wikimedia account being expired and not automatically renewed? ネイ (talk) 05:13, 12 August 2021 (UTC)
British Newspaper Archive
Might we ever get access to this source? It's a great resource with loads of great material. It's been the top upvoted suggestion for a few months now. — Berrely • Talk∕Contribs 20:02, 13 June 2021 (UTC)
- @Berrely: We've been trying! We actually used to have access to BNA some years ago, and have been trying to restart that partnership to no avail. It's definitely high on our priority list, but I can't make any guarantees unfortunately. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 09:00, 14 June 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): The British Library now has a Wikimedian in Residence (their second, after a gap of some years). Maybe that's an avenue worth pursuing? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 20:26, 12 August 2021 (UTC)
- @Pigsonthewing: You could be right! Thanks, I'll drop them an email. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 08:59, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): The British Library now has a Wikimedian in Residence (their second, after a gap of some years). Maybe that's an avenue worth pursuing? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 20:26, 12 August 2021 (UTC)
Oxford Reference
Some important books, that were unlocked last year, are still restricted, f.e. The Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and Architecture, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt or Dictionary of African Biography, that's a real shame. --Sinuhe20 (talk) 09:56, 23 August 2021 (UTC)
Yeah, and Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art too. It hurts--Nous (talk) 13:44, 23 August 2021 (UTC)
- @Sinuhe20 and Nous: Thanks for the heads up/request - Oxford have been quite open to adding new content to the library so I've sent these requests along. I'll let you know what happens. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:49, 24 August 2021 (UTC)
@Samwalton9 (WMF): Thanks for response. And have a nice day:)--Nous (talk) 11:51, 24 August 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF), if you are writing to them, do you think it would be worth asking them if they would consider adding the OED to the package? It would be an invaluable aid to those of us who don't have a UK library card. Thank you, Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 12:29, 24 August 2021 (UTC)
- @Justlettersandnumbers: We did ask about OED but unfortunately it's handled by a different department to my contact and they weren't interested in joining the library. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 19:27, 24 August 2021 (UTC)
- @Sinuhe20 and Nous: Looks like these should now be available - there was an error on OUP's end regarding what content we had access to, and this should now be fixed. Let me know if anything still seems wrong :) Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:23, 30 August 2021 (UTC)
- Thank you very much, I can now access all works mentioned!--Sinuhe20 (talk) 16:55, 30 August 2021 (UTC)
- Great work as usual Samwalton9 (WMF), many, many thanks. You can't imagine how wide I smile at the moment:)--Nous (talk) 21:36, 30 August 2021 (UTC)
My pending subscription renewals
@Samwalton9 (WMF): Help me along here on my ProjectMuse subscription. I vaguely - very vaguely - remember getting an email asking if I wanted my ProjectMuse and Alexander Street Press renewed. I don't use Alexander Street enough to care. But ProjectMuse is vital to me. I went in through the Library Card Platform, if that's what it's called. Both those applications say I need to apply. And after jumping through hoops, going here and going there, I found a page that tells me ProjectMuse, Alexander Street Press and Newspapers.com are "Renewal pending" and "Not yet reviewed". This happens every year, and it gets tiresome. But I know it's the system, not you all. Can you please check if ProjectMuse and Newspapers.com are in line to really be reviewed? Thanks for your help. — Maile (talk) 00:53, 9 September 2021 (UTC)
- Hi @Maile66: I can see that all three renewal requests are received and awaiting review :) Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 09:43, 9 September 2021 (UTC)
- Thank you for the courtesy. — Maile (talk) 19:56, 9 September 2021 (UTC)
Category:Wikipedia Librarians has been nominated for discussion
Category:Wikipedia Librarians has been nominated for possible deletion, merging, or renaming. A discussion is taking place to decide whether this proposal complies with the categorization guidelines. If you would like to participate in the discussion, you are invited to add your comments at the category's entry on the categories for discussion page. Thank you. * Pppery * it has begun... 20:10, 16 September 2021 (UTC)
Access issue
Hi! At Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Kennedy Cartoons (closed, so no canvassing issue), Nfitz mentioned I should be eligible for access. I've logged in and out and still get the same error messages. I sent an email, but am unfamiliar with Phabricator. Any further suggestions? Thanks! Star Mississippi 13:32, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
- Hi @Star Mississippi:. I don't see any email in our inbox, could you clarify what error message you're seeing, and the URL of the page you're on when you see it? Thanks, Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 14:30, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
- Thanks Samwalton9. I get Permission denied. Sorry; you aren't allowed to do that. If you think your account should be able to do that, please email us about this error at wikipedialibrary@wikimedia.org or report it to us on Phabricator (?). on this page, also featuring a cute little rodent. I followed the link in Nfitz' comment here. Let me know if I should re-send the email. Star Mississippi 14:36, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
- @Star Mississippi: Oh, I think I see the problem - you're username blocked on id.wiki despite having made no edits there. I've whitelisted your account against this block, can you try logging in at https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/ and then attempting that link again? Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 14:37, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
- Thank you! I'm in. I don't think I'd ever logged into Indonesian Wikipedia before now. Oh Wiki weirdness. Thanks again and look forward to exploring the resources. Star Mississippi 14:47, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
- @Star Mississippi: Oh, I think I see the problem - you're username blocked on id.wiki despite having made no edits there. I've whitelisted your account against this block, can you try logging in at https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/ and then attempting that link again? Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 14:37, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
- Thanks Samwalton9. I get Permission denied. Sorry; you aren't allowed to do that. If you think your account should be able to do that, please email us about this error at wikipedialibrary@wikimedia.org or report it to us on Phabricator (?). on this page, also featuring a cute little rodent. I followed the link in Nfitz' comment here. Let me know if I should re-send the email. Star Mississippi 14:36, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
parameter in cite journal for HeinOnline?
Are we supposed to use some parameter in {{cite journal}} to give credit to HeinOnline? ♦ Lingzhi.Random (talk) 08:45, 26 September 2021 (UTC)
- In general, you do not need to say how you accessed a source. You can add
|via=HeinOnline
, but that's certainly not mandatory, and many will view this as pointless clutter unless a HeinOnline url is also provided. Headbomb {t · c · p · b} 12:11, 26 September 2021 (UTC)
"Wikipedia Library" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect Wikipedia Library. The discussion will occur at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2021 October 5#Wikipedia Library until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. RandomCanadian (talk / contribs) 03:38, 5 October 2021 (UTC)
Library access issues?
When trying to access a collection, the following message pops up: "File missing: docs/suspend.htm". The screen is completely white and only has this text at the top left. Does anyone know how to resolve this issue? Cheers - Wretchskull (talk) 10:57, 26 September 2021 (UTC) Update: Apparently, Wikipedia shows this message to users who are suspended from the library for suspicious use. Basically what happened is that collections by Oxford wouldn't work and would freeze when I searched something. I then experimented and realized that the collections would work when I used a VPN, which led me to getting suspended. I had no intention of bad faith use or abuse, I was just trying to fix an issue. Any advice? Wretchskull (talk) 15:46, 27 September 2021 (UTC)
- @Wretchskull: I can't confirm exactly what happened here but it was likely related to your using a VPN. I'm not sure why that would have resolved your Oxford freezing issue either. Can you check if this is working again for you now, without using a VPN? Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 10:20, 30 September 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): Thank you for the response! To be more accurate, I was using Tor Browser, which is basically a separate browser fused with a VPN. Unfortunately, I still get the same message and I cannot access anything on the wikilibrary. Wretchskull (talk) 13:13, 30 September 2021 (UTC)
- @Wretchskull: Hmm - from some testing it definitely doesn't seem like Tor will provide an ideal experience, but I was able to access Oxford. Let me look into this further for you. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 09:17, 1 October 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): The block was lifted. I am not sure if it was you or if the issue resolved itself, but thank you regardless! Wretchskull (talk) 08:49, 9 October 2021 (UTC)
- @Wretchskull: Hmm - from some testing it definitely doesn't seem like Tor will provide an ideal experience, but I was able to access Oxford. Let me look into this further for you. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 09:17, 1 October 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): Thank you for the response! To be more accurate, I was using Tor Browser, which is basically a separate browser fused with a VPN. Unfortunately, I still get the same message and I cannot access anything on the wikilibrary. Wretchskull (talk) 13:13, 30 September 2021 (UTC)
User blocks on non-WP projects
To access Wikipedia Library resources one must not have any active blocks. If an editor has no active blocks on any Wikipedia, but does have an active block on, say, a Wikivoyage, are they denied access to Wikipedia Library resources? Can anyone point me to documentation or historical discussion about this? Thanks. Nurg (talk) 23:24, 8 October 2021 (UTC)
- @Nurg: We take these on a case-by-case basis, but the main things we're looking for are recent indefinite blocks and blocks for content issues like copyright violations. If you have, for example, one block from a long time ago and are still active creating content on another project, or are blocked on a project you never edited (this sometimes happens for username violations) then we're happy to whitelist against that criterion. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:02, 9 October 2021 (UTC)
Search feature now available!
The Wikipedia Library team is excited to announce that a centralized search tool is now available to all users eligible to use the library! Instead of needing to search across individual collections one-by-one, you’ll now be able to search content from across a wide range of collections from one search bar. This search tool uses the EBSCO Discovery Service software and contains a wide array of filtering and advanced search options.
To check which collections are indexed, we’ve also added icons and filters to My Library. Search pulls content from almost all of the collections which are accessible by default for eligible users (the Library Bundle). This means you can search with the confidence that every result will be accessible to you. In the future, we plan to enable users to turn off this limit, so that you could also search across collections which require individual applications, but we can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to access all results in this mode, as this depends on your individual authorizations.
To check out the search tool just head over to https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/, log in, and you’ll find the search bar at the top of your screen. We hope you find this feature useful, and would love to hear your feedback at Talk:Library Card platform/Search. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 17:43, 7 October 2021 (UTC)
- Thanks for setting up this new feature. I have tried it a few times, and I like what I have seen thus far. I look forward to using it more in the coming days. Eddie Blick (talk) 01:40, 8 October 2021 (UTC)
- This is a major breakthrough, thanks to all involved in making it happen! – and if that includes people at EBSCO, please pass on those thanks to them too. If there's ever a Mk.II version, it'd be even better if duplicate hits on the same target could be combined into a single one with the various access options. But it is already a huge step forward and will make research a lot easier. Thank you! Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 08:21, 8 October 2021 (UTC)
- A fantastic tool – thanks to the team for their work Dracophyllum 22:41, 9 October 2021 (UTC)
- This is a major breakthrough, thanks to all involved in making it happen! – and if that includes people at EBSCO, please pass on those thanks to them too. If there's ever a Mk.II version, it'd be even better if duplicate hits on the same target could be combined into a single one with the various access options. But it is already a huge step forward and will make research a lot easier. Thank you! Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 08:21, 8 October 2021 (UTC)
Newspapers.com subscription issue
Hi -- I can see Newspapers.com listed in "my collections" here, but when I go there it says my subscription is just a guest sub and gives me no ability to read articles -- not just for the Publishers' Extra articles, but the basic ones too. Is this the right page to ask about this? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 14:14, 10 October 2021 (UTC)
- @Mike Christie: It looks like your last renewal request was just over a year ago so you'll need to request a renewal. You can do this by clicking the Extend or Renew button on the Newspapers.com tile in My Library. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 09:23, 12 October 2021 (UTC)
- That was easy; sorry, hadn't noticed the "extend" button. Thanks. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 09:32, 12 October 2021 (UTC)
Status of Wikipedia:Elsevier ScienceDirect
What's the status of Wikipedia:Elsevier ScienceDirect? This throws a 403 error. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 09:50, 20 October 2021 (UTC)
- @Jo-Jo Eumerus: Thanks for the heads up, we've deactivated Elsevier in the tool because we no longer have access to their content. I've updated the on-wiki template to reflect this. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 13:03, 20 October 2021 (UTC)
Newspapers.com subscription renewal
Hi, I've had a renewal application in since 12 October but it's showing as not yet reviewed. Is this usual? I just wanted to check it's not fallen through the cracks. I am really keen to resume access as I have a couple of articles awaiting sources that I know are hosted here - Dumelow (talk) 06:26, 21 October 2021 (UTC)
- @Dumelow: It varies :) Netoholic reviews Newspapers.com applications - hopefully they can get to the latest batch soon! Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 10:19, 21 October 2021 (UTC)
- Thanks for the response Sam. No worries, I was just checking it wasn't a glitch. Fingers crossed for access soon! Thankyou to everyone involved in running WP:LIB, it's a great resource and I am sure requires a lot of work behind the scenes - Dumelow (talk) 10:28, 21 October 2021 (UTC)
- Thankyou Netoholic , all approved now. Much appreciated - Dumelow (talk) 07:39, 23 October 2021 (UTC)
- Mine's been unanswered since 20 September 2021. Would you be able to do something about that too, {{u|Netoholic]]? I'd be grateful. Thanks, Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 17:01, 11 November 2021 (UTC)
- Damn, messed up that ping to Netoholic. Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 14:33, 12 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Justlettersandnumbers: Received confirmation that your account was upgraded to Publisher Extra subscription on 5/10/2021 that doesn't expire until 5/10/2022. -- Netoholic @ 13:39, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- Thanks, Netoholic, much appreciated. However, when I go to the resource (through the Library Access portal) I get a notice saying "Start a 7 day trial"; there's a "Sign In" button in the upper right corner. If I search for something and then try to actually look at it, I get a red banner saying "Sign up to start a free week". I notice that on the library access page, the white-on-pale-grey button does not read "Access collection" like all the others, but "Go to site"; it has an "Extend" button beside it. This can't be how it's meant to work. Can anyone advise? Many thanks, Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 17:39, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- I'm seeing the same thing as JLA, but I was told my sub had been renewed a month or two ago? Ealdgyth (talk) 18:01, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Justlettersandnumbers and Ealdgyth: Once you're at the Newspapers.com website, you need to sign in using the account you created there. Its not connected automatically like other Wikipedia Library resources that's why you don't see "Access collection". -- Netoholic @ 21:26, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Justlettersandnumbers: Received confirmation that your account was upgraded to Publisher Extra subscription on 5/10/2021 that doesn't expire until 5/10/2022. -- Netoholic @ 13:39, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
The Times (UK)
Greetings:
For an article series that I am working on, I needed to read an article at The Times (UK). Is The Times accessible through one of the WP:LIBRARY providers? Specifically, I am looking to read this link [1]. Greatly appreciate any leads. Thanks. Update: I was able to find some Times articles on Gale, but, the search seems to be failing me. Ktin (talk) 02:26, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Ktin: Unfortunately, from what I can see, we only have The Times up to 2014 as part of The Times Digital Archive available via Gale, so this item wouldn't be covered. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 14:52, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
- Ktin, I have a subscription to the Times and can send you the text in a few hours if you email me. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 15:03, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Mike Christie: Thanks a ton. Managed to read this article. Will definitely sound you out the next time I am not able to get to the Times from Gale. Thanks again. :) Ktin (talk) 15:11, 2 December 2021 (UTC)
- Ktin, I have a subscription to the Times and can send you the text in a few hours if you email me. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 15:03, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
Project Muse problem
As the title states, a sudden problem with Project Muse has arisen: I can't read books - and no, not like that. For whatever reason, books once accessible are no longer, they're padlocked. Goes without saying that this is a hindrance to my research; I can attest so far that my presently cited material is accurate but I like to inspect and reread. Thanks, all the same. DMT Biscuit (talk) 01:11, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
- Update: The problem is resolved. Naturally or otherwise, I don't know. But good, all the same. DMT Biscuit (talk) 12:57, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
Apply button for SpringerLink doesn't work
I'm trying to access a particular document/book in SpringerLink that is cited over a hundred times in en-WP; I want to verify the content. I get to the page https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/124/ and I see a blue button "Apply" above the logo, but clicking the button doesn't do anything. Anyone know what the problem is? Platonk (talk) 00:09, 11 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Platonk: We just updated these pages so there's a good chance we broke something. Unfortunately I can't rerproduce this problem. Can you confirm that you're logged in to the Library Card when you try to apply? If so, can you let me know your browser and version? Thanks, Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 12:16, 13 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): Your request confused me and help me find the solution. I couldn't find anything called "library Card". The main project page is not clear at all for a newcomer. Most of the links are ambiguously labelled. As I poked around, I found a place where it automatically logged me in and there was SpringerLink with a blue "Apply" button that worked. I hope I can find my way back there next time to check if my application has been approved. Platonk (talk) 00:27, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Platonk: I'm glad you've managed to find the right place! Really the entry point for the library is https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/ and that should take you all the places you need to go. When you refer to the 'main project page', could you clarify where you're talking about? We'd like to try to smooth these workflows as much as possible, so if there's a link on-wiki we need to change I'd like to know! Thanks, Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:33, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): By "main project page" I mean the page for which this is a talk page. We're on Wikipedia talk:The Wikipedia Library, so that means Wikipedia:The Wikipedia Library. Thanks for the link! Test-editing Wikipedia:The Wikipedia Library, I see where that link is used. Hah! So subtle. I think you need a "big blue button" on that page labeled "Click to enter the library". Platonk (talk) 16:28, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Platonk: I'm glad you've managed to find the right place! Really the entry point for the library is https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/ and that should take you all the places you need to go. When you refer to the 'main project page', could you clarify where you're talking about? We'd like to try to smooth these workflows as much as possible, so if there's a link on-wiki we need to change I'd like to know! Thanks, Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:33, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): Your request confused me and help me find the solution. I couldn't find anything called "library Card". The main project page is not clear at all for a newcomer. Most of the links are ambiguously labelled. As I poked around, I found a place where it automatically logged me in and there was SpringerLink with a blue "Apply" button that worked. I hope I can find my way back there next time to check if my application has been approved. Platonk (talk) 00:27, 14 December 2021 (UTC)
Accessibility
Maybe it's just me, but I find that the "Access collection" button is not particularly easy to read. or even to see. Was white text on a (very) pale grey button on an equally pale grey background a conscious choice, I wonder? Also I don't know if anyone else sees some logos for the various resources vertically compressed to somewhere between a quarter and a third of the proper height? This image, which should be roughly square, displays in approximately the same aspect ratio (somewhere around 10:3) as this one. Anyway, it's a great service to editors, and thank you for it! Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 17:13, 11 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Justlettersandnumbers: Are you using Safari, by any chance? The Access Collection button should be blue and aspect ratios sensible for the logos, but we were seeing silver buttons and weird aspect ratios in Safari. There should be a fix for that deployed before too long (T295023). Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:30, 12 November 2021 (UTC)
- Yes, Samwalton9 (WMF), indeed I am. Good to know there's a fix in the pipeline. Thanks as always, Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 14:32, 12 November 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF) there's an overall glitch that's getting to be annoying, and goes back and forth during any given day. I use both Firefox and Chrome browsers. The "Access collection" button was non-existant on both those browsers earlier in the day, and then later appeared like magic. Now they once again don't exist when I access at either of those browsers. Something is not correct, and I don't think they problem is on the user end. — Maile (talk) 17:53, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Maile66 and Justlettersandnumbers: We believe we've fixed this issue. Can you confirm if these elements are displaying correctly for you now? Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 14:31, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF) there's an overall glitch that's getting to be annoying, and goes back and forth during any given day. I use both Firefox and Chrome browsers. The "Access collection" button was non-existant on both those browsers earlier in the day, and then later appeared like magic. Now they once again don't exist when I access at either of those browsers. Something is not correct, and I don't think they problem is on the user end. — Maile (talk) 17:53, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF) Now there's not even a place for me to sign in, on either of my browsers. Is this the correct place: https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/ ? What am I doing incorrectly? Template:TWLJ is what I have on both my browsers, which says "Most partners are now available via the Library Card Platform – go there to apply!" It worked before, but not it goes to the the above link, and there's no sign-in place. I also cannot separately access https://www.newspapers.com/search/ I can finagle around to signing in there, but then it doesn't let me search anything. — Maile (talk) 19:38, 29 November 2021 (UTC) Well, OK, I've got Newspapers.com separately giving me access as I always had it, with my old sign-in. And, apparently, I can access the Library by by using n old bookmark I made https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/users/my library/, and it works that way. Maybe it's just the Template:TWLJ URL link that needs updating. — Maile (talk) 19:46, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Maile66: Ah, good catch - that link is indeed outdated, I've updated Template:TWLJ. Library platform. https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/, which leads to https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/users/my_library/, is the correct place to be to see all the resources you can access. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:00, 30 November 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF) There's still that one little glitch. I can no longer fully access newspapers.com under my old separate account, or via the platform. It tells me I need Publisher's Extra Subscription. The platform asked if I wanted to "Extend" my subscription, so I clicked on that. What's next, because clicking on extend changed nothing? — Maile (talk) 14:49, 30 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Maile66: It looks like your access should have last been renewed a couple of months ago. Netoholic can look into the Publisher's Extra issue for you - this might just need to be requested separately by them. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 10:41, 1 December 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF) There's still that one little glitch. I can no longer fully access newspapers.com under my old separate account, or via the platform. It tells me I need Publisher's Extra Subscription. The platform asked if I wanted to "Extend" my subscription, so I clicked on that. What's next, because clicking on extend changed nothing? — Maile (talk) 14:49, 30 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Maile66: Ah, good catch - that link is indeed outdated, I've updated Template:TWLJ. Library platform. https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/, which leads to https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/users/my_library/, is the correct place to be to see all the resources you can access. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:00, 30 November 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF) Now there's not even a place for me to sign in, on either of my browsers. Is this the correct place: https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/ ? What am I doing incorrectly? Template:TWLJ is what I have on both my browsers, which says "Most partners are now available via the Library Card Platform – go there to apply!" It worked before, but not it goes to the the above link, and there's no sign-in place. I also cannot separately access https://www.newspapers.com/search/ I can finagle around to signing in there, but then it doesn't let me search anything. — Maile (talk) 19:38, 29 November 2021 (UTC) Well, OK, I've got Newspapers.com separately giving me access as I always had it, with my old sign-in. And, apparently, I can access the Library by by using n old bookmark I made https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/users/my library/, and it works that way. Maybe it's just the Template:TWLJ URL link that needs updating. — Maile (talk) 19:46, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
- Samwalton9 (WMF) Hmmm. I actually did receive an email from Wikipedia Library Card Platform back on September 14 telling me my subscription renewal had been approved. "you can expect to receive access details within a week or two once it has been processed." And I never got another email about this. Three months later. I still have the same issue. FYI, that "Publisher's Extra" it requires, is the Wikipedia subscription. That's what happens every year when my subscription expires. And when we get the subscription renewed, it no longer displays that requirement. Somebody dropped the ball on my renewal. — Maile (talk) 20:26, 15 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): I hate to say this, but you all are not responding to something that should be so simple. Please read the above - nobody ever got back to me via email after the September 14 email telling me my account has been renewed, but access info would come in another email. My Newspaper.com account says this, "You're currently a Registered Guest. This free subscription gets you access to search newspapers but you will not be able to view the full page. Get a paid subscription for access." That means I can search, but I can't access what I find. Why is this so difficult to get a resolution here? I've had a real subscription for years, until now, so I know how it works. In effect, I have nothing but what a random internet surfer can get without a subscription.— Maile (talk) 14:48, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
newspapers.com renewal stuck on "sent to partner"
I applied to have my newspapers.com subscription renewed, and two days ago it was approved and marked as "Renewal - Sent to partner", but my newspapers.com account is still showing as just a "Registered Guest", so I'm not able to access articles. Is this expected? Anyone know how long this typically takes to go through? And will I receive an e-mail or something when it does, or do I just have to keep periodically checking to see if I can get in? Pinging Netoholic, since it sounds like they're familiar with this process. Colin M (talk) 22:27, 12 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Colin M: "Sent to partner" means we've forwarded the request to Newspapers.com. Within a few days, you should get an email from them once your account change has been processed. -- Netoholic @ 06:01, 13 November 2021 (UTC)
- It's been more than "a few days" for me, and bupkiss is what I've gotten. --Orange Mike | Talk 18:34, 30 November 2021 (UTC)
@Orangemike, Netoholic, and Colin M: See my posts above. I've been waiting three months, and no results, no explanations, nothing. Maybe our Library has no more information than we have, but it would be nice if they communicated the situation. Possibly also connected to thread below this. Newspapers.com is owned by Ancestry.com. REALLY frustration, but perhaps our Wikipedia people don't know anymore than we do. I just wish they'd say so, if that's the case. Something has broken somewhere. — Maile (talk) 15:11, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Maile66: - I've sent a message to the partner to check the status of your account. I would suggest, rather than making posts in multiple talk page sections unrelated to your own situation, that you instead use the Discussion function on the Wikipedia Library application you submitted. That is the fastest method to reach the people that can try to fix this for you, and keeps the conversation in a dedicated space to resolve problems. That's where I'll reply when I get an answer back. -- Netoholic @ 15:45, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
Difficulty of citing search results
Hi TWL folks! I know you recently implemented a search feature, so I just wanted to provide a bit of feedback on it. Overall, I've found it helpful, but the biggest snag I've been hitting is that the EBSCOhost results lead to URLs like http://go-gale-c.m.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA445042579&v=2.1&it=r&sid=ebsco that are very difficult to cite. Most people are going to try to just use that URL or at most to click the permalink button (https://wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=production&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.445042579&site=eds-live&scope=site for my example), neither of which actually work. Extremely few are going to know to what they need to do is to retrieve the accession number and use e.g. |id={{ebscohost|edsgcl.445042579}}
in the citation template. This is a pretty major drawback, given that the reason most people are seeking out sources is to cite them. I know that the search provider options are probably pretty limited, and it's way better to have EBSCOhost than nothing, but I hope we'll figure out a way to deliver results in a more easily citable format someday. Best, {{u|Sdkb}} talk 03:43, 21 December 2021 (UTC)
- I've been wondering how to do this! I've not managed to link through to sources via the new engine other than OUP and JSTOR, which I was regularly using before. A primer on exactly how to do it (for the computer challenged) would be handy. Cheers, Espresso Addict (talk) 07:02, 21 December 2021 (UTC)
- The easiest route is to install and use Zotero, which has a browser extension that will save the citation's metadata and export (poorly/I've been meaning to upload my updated version) in the Wikipedia citation style. As for the URL itself, I believe there are citation bots that will find the long, cumbersome URLs and chop them down to use the {{EBSCOhost}} templates you mentioned—i.e., just cite it as usual and let a bot cleanup the URL. I know the TWL federated search is new, but hopefully there will be a one-click citation generator in the future. czar 07:44, 21 December 2021 (UTC)
How often do reviewers receive email letting them know there are applications waiting?
Hello -- I review people's applications to get access to BioOne and Alexander Street Press. Usually I get an email letting me know if there's an application or two waiting, usually, within a few days. Today I got the first email in a while and I looked and I had FIVE applications waiting and some were weeks old. I'm not sure if this is a glitch in the notification system or maybe I never noticed before, but I'd like to suggest this be looked into and the notification be sent no more than a few days from when someone's applied. This may have to do with the issue above where people's access had expired despite them applying for renewals. My apologies to people who may have lost access because I did not know applications were waiting. Jessamyn (talk) 20:37, 30 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Jessamyn: You should receive that email once a week if there are applications to non-waitlisted collections you're responsible for. From looking at the email logs, you were sent emails on December 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th. I wonder if they didn't show up in your inbox for some reason, perhaps they're landing in spam? Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:40, 4 January 2022 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9 (WMF): Thank you. I check my spam regularly and the emails weren't showing up there but gmail can occasionally black-hole email it feels funny about. My email says I got one on Dec 9th and one on Dec 30th. I'll set up a filter that says "Never send them to spam" and see if that helps. Jessamyn (talk) 18:11, 4 January 2022 (UTC)
Library card
O.K. that each user of a library will need a library card - but even for online libraries, where just browsing is possible?
On the other hand, I won't tick buttons on unknown web pages. And there is not enough explained - just that my wiki-account won't be changed.
So I'm hesitating to join sarang♥사랑 08:45, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
- @Sarang: Nothing will change with your Wikipedia account - logging in just enables the tool to check you meet the requirements for access and logs what you have access to over time. If you decide you don't want to use the library, there's also a data deletion feature where you can remove your account from the library. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:13, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
Glitch in renewing existing accesses
Hello -- I have been accessing Project Muse successfully for several years, and using it a fair amount, but my access was due to expire mid next month, so I decided to get my application in now so as to be sure it wouldn't run out... only to find that I'm now locked out of Project Muse until the renewal is assessed. That wasn't quite the behaviour that I expected. Espresso Addict (talk) 08:01, 21 December 2021 (UTC)
- There have also been reported problems renewing Newspapers.com and, as I have experienced,, Ancestry.com. I wonder if there may be a systemic situation here. Coretheapple (talk) 22:53, 21 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Espresso Addict: The same just happened to me with NewspaperArchive.com-- I tried requesting a renewal ahead of my expiration date to avoid a gap, but now I'm locked out of the resource, hopefully temporarily. Definitely "not quite the behaviour that I expected". Penny Richards (talk) 01:30, 2 January 2022 (UTC)
- @Penny Richards: Indeed! I was hoping to get in before the rush, when all editors across all languages with >500 edits are notified about the library. I worry that the volunteers processing applications are going to be even more overwhelmed going forward. Espresso Addict (talk) 01:34, 2 January 2022 (UTC)
- I submitted my renewal for Newspapers.com on Dec 22, and it's still pending. Understand it's the holidays, or are there other factors? Cheers.—Bagumba (talk) 07:51, 4 January 2022 (UTC)
Thanks for flagging this bug @Espresso Addict and Penny Richards:! I've filed T298513 so we can fix this, it's definitely neither expected nor intended behaviour :) In the meantime, if your authorization is still valid you can navigate directly to Project Muse at https://muse-jhu-edu.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:38, 4 January 2022 (UTC)
- Whew, glad to hear a fix is in progress. Working without Ancestry or NewspaperArchive right now, and afraid the same will happen to my impending Newspapers.com renewal through TWL. They're all so helpful and I've become quite spoiled, I guess! Penny Richards (talk) 20:43, 4 January 2022 (UTC)
- Any news? I'm patient, just wondering what's up. Penny Richards (talk) 03:01, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
Review times
I love the resources provided by TWL, and I really appreciate the effort volunteers put in. I don't mean this to be unappreciative or pushy, but I'm curious what the review timeline is likely to be (I applied for Taylor & Francis access on January 6). Guettarda (talk) 17:53, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
- @Guettarda: You should receive confirmation within 1-2 weeks. In this case AnthroMimus handles the approval of applications, pinging them in case they have any additional context :) Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 09:24, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
- Thanks {{u|Samwalton9 (WMF)}. Guettarda (talk) 15:07, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
- Fixing the ping: Thanks Samwalton9 (WMF). Guettarda (talk) 16:34, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
- Thanks {{u|Samwalton9 (WMF)}. Guettarda (talk) 15:07, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
Ancestry.com issue
I've been having a problem with Ancestry.com. I'm logged in on my Wikimedia account but can't access documents. I get shunted to a screen offering a paid subscription. Has Ancestry stopped providing its servings to the Wikipedia Library or has my account lapsed? I just noticed an "extend" button on my Library page (and I just clicked on it). Could that be the issue? Since I am able to access my account I was unclear as to whether my account had lapsed. Coretheapple (talk) 14:18 14 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: are you signed in to Ancestry.com with the account you made there prior to requesting access? Wikipedia Library won't log you in there automatically. If you're logged in on Ancestry.com and still cant access resources there, then your access has probably lapsed and using the "extend" option may be necessary. @Eddie891: can probably help more, as he is the coordinator for Ancestry.com requests. -- Netoholic @ 21:34, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Netoholic: yep, I'm signed into my Wikipedia Ancestry account (Wikikmedia Foundation with a number). I already clicked on extend. Looks like that needs to proceed. Thanks! Coretheapple (talk) 21:39, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: Not sure we're on the same page. You need to go directly to Ancestry.com and log in THERE to access the resource. -- Netoholic @ 23:02, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Netoholic: yes if course. That's what I've been doing. I go to Ancestry, log in, and can't access anything . The "extend" button is on the Wikimedia website. I've clicked on it, and I trust it will take a few days for that to go through (assuming there are no obstacles). Am I missing anything? Coretheapple (talk) 23:35, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: yes, this started happening for me too, on November 9 or 10. I've been using it successfully, almost daily, for a little over a year, then suddenly many of the resources were unavailable to me. I checked other browsers and even another machine, but same in all places. Maybe Ancestry changed its deal? Penny Richards (talk) 17:56, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
- If you've been using it over a year, chances are your access is expired and you need to click that Extend button Core mentioned. Nikkimaria (talk) 18:23, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
- I've done precisely that (clicked on extend) and am hoping for its renewal and that it does not take long. Helpful resource. Coretheapple (talk) 18:26, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
- Yup, I also clicked on extend, on November 10. Also left a note on my application page at TWL. I've checked a couple times a day since then, but nothing has changed. It is a helpful resource and a big timesaver, will miss it if it's not on offer anymore. Penny Richards (talk) 21:09, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
- It's surprisingly helpful, given that it is a primary source. In order of helpfulness, I would put Newspapers.com at the top, Proquest No. 2 and Ancestry No. 3. Coretheapple (talk) 22:15, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
- Any improvement for you, Coretheapple? None for me yet. Penny Richards (talk) 04:13, 23 November 2021 (UTC)
- It's surprisingly helpful, given that it is a primary source. In order of helpfulness, I would put Newspapers.com at the top, Proquest No. 2 and Ancestry No. 3. Coretheapple (talk) 22:15, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
- If you've been using it over a year, chances are your access is expired and you need to click that Extend button Core mentioned. Nikkimaria (talk) 18:23, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: yes, this started happening for me too, on November 9 or 10. I've been using it successfully, almost daily, for a little over a year, then suddenly many of the resources were unavailable to me. I checked other browsers and even another machine, but same in all places. Maybe Ancestry changed its deal? Penny Richards (talk) 17:56, 17 November 2021 (UTC)
I got approved earlier this month and got an email saying "log in with the credentials you'll receive shortly at https://www.ancestry.com/". I never received a followup email and I tried logging in with the old Ancestry account that uses the same email as my TWL account, and there's no access, just an offer to subscribe. Gamaliel (talk) 17:01, 30 November 2021 (UTC)
- Yes, I'm considered a "registered guest" now, which means no access to most of the site's materials, just invitations to buy a membership. There were things I could see on November 8 that I haven't been able to see since. Some necessary link in the chain of events isn't happening. Penny Richards (talk) 20:21, 30 November 2021 (UTC)
- Aha, something changed now: my Ancestry.com application on TWL now says I'm waitlisted. That's fine, I'm glad they're spreading the access around. Looking forward to my next turn. Penny Richards (talk) 18:51, 1 December 2021 (UTC)
- No change for me. The WL platform keeps on asking me to extend, which I do. Coretheapple (talk) 15:20, 5 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: See above two sections regarding Newspaperrs.com - Just guessing, and nobody else is offering a real solution, I think Ancestry.com and its affiliate Newspapers.com have some kind of a snafu with Wikipedia/Wikimedia/whoever. No other explanations are forthcoming - in my case, since September. — Maile (talk) 15:33, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Maile66: Thanks. I'm sorry to hear about Newspapers.com, as that is an outstanding resource that I use frequently. Fortunately my renewal was processed without incident in April. Meanwhile Ancestry is stuck, which is a shame as it is a good resource in sticky situations. Coretheapple (talk) 18:07, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: See above two sections regarding Newspaperrs.com - Just guessing, and nobody else is offering a real solution, I think Ancestry.com and its affiliate Newspapers.com have some kind of a snafu with Wikipedia/Wikimedia/whoever. No other explanations are forthcoming - in my case, since September. — Maile (talk) 15:33, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
- No change for me. The WL platform keeps on asking me to extend, which I do. Coretheapple (talk) 15:20, 5 December 2021 (UTC)
- Aha, something changed now: my Ancestry.com application on TWL now says I'm waitlisted. That's fine, I'm glad they're spreading the access around. Looking forward to my next turn. Penny Richards (talk) 18:51, 1 December 2021 (UTC)
- I clicked on "extend" and now this comes up: "This partner does not have any access grants available at this time. You may still apply for access; your application will be reviewed when access grants become available." I then was able to click to apply to renew. So that's where that stands. Coretheapple (talk) 23:02, 21 December 2021 (UTC)
- I hope Ancestry resolves the matter. Just yesterday I encountered an article in which the birth date conflicts between sources, Checking with the SSDI on Ancestry would have resolved things right away. Coretheapple (talk) 17:16, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
- Yes! Such a useful resource, I hope we can have more access grants soon. I miss it daily. Penny Richards (talk) 17:07, 13 January 2022 (UTC)
- Ancestry is useful but I find that Newspapers.com is downright vital. I hope and pray that whatever issues we have here don't affect that resource. I just created an article in which key facts were obtained there and only there. It is absolutely invaluable as a research resource for NYC history. Coretheapple (talk) 19:17, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
- I agree, Coretheapple, Newspapers.com is invaluable to me as I create and edit articles. My subscription was up for renewal recently, and I am thankful that it went through with no problems. Eddie Blick (talk) 02:05, 16 January 2022 (UTC)
- Glad to hear it! I hope Newspapers.com appreciates the extent to which it is used in footnotes, which I hope derives benefit for them. I am always sure to attribute to their site when warranted. Coretheapple (talk) 15:43, 16 January 2022 (UTC)
- I agree, Coretheapple, Newspapers.com is invaluable to me as I create and edit articles. My subscription was up for renewal recently, and I am thankful that it went through with no problems. Eddie Blick (talk) 02:05, 16 January 2022 (UTC)
- Ancestry is useful but I find that Newspapers.com is downright vital. I hope and pray that whatever issues we have here don't affect that resource. I just created an article in which key facts were obtained there and only there. It is absolutely invaluable as a research resource for NYC history. Coretheapple (talk) 19:17, 15 January 2022 (UTC)
- Yes! Such a useful resource, I hope we can have more access grants soon. I miss it daily. Penny Richards (talk) 17:07, 13 January 2022 (UTC)
- I hope Ancestry resolves the matter. Just yesterday I encountered an article in which the birth date conflicts between sources, Checking with the SSDI on Ancestry would have resolved things right away. Coretheapple (talk) 17:16, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
- I am also having this issue - I had access to Ancestry via TWL, and I didn't think it had expired, but I now cannot access records. My Wikimedia account Membership is shown as "Registered Guest". Clicking on a record just redirects me to a subscription link. I really hope this can be fixed soon, as Ancestry is an invaluable resource.--TrottieTrue (talk) 20:37, 20 January 2022 (UTC)
Questions
All reliable sources I need are there? –Ctrlwiki (talk) 00:05, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
- Most of them, at least. Newspapers, books, academic articles, encyclopedias. It has most things. The only things it doesn't have are internet only publications. But since you're on the internet, you should be able to find those on your own. ;) SilverserenC 00:22, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
- How to use Wikipedia Library, is there a fee or it's free? –Ctrlwiki (talk) 01:06, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
- Completely free. It's attached to your Wikipedia account. Just follow the links on the front page. Your account does have to meet some minimum requirements though on age and number of edits (6 months and 500 edits, I think it was?). SilverserenC 01:32, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
- How to use Wikipedia Library, is there a fee or it's free? –Ctrlwiki (talk) 01:06, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
- Are you using Wikipedia Library too? –Ctrlwiki (talk) 06:05, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
- Yeah, I've been using it for over a year at this point. It's been very helpful for writing articles. SilverserenC 21:01, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
- Are you using Wikipedia Library too? –Ctrlwiki (talk) 06:05, 26 January 2022 (UTC)
Comment and questions on Wikilibrary (I was prompted to join, I immediately had a LOT of questions:
1) I find it ironic that a open-access project like Wikipedia is offering experienced editors access to paywalled resources. What if Wikipedia access was paywalled? Who decided this was a good idea, and where is that discussion? Is this cake fully-baked? Where is the rationale?
2) Question:Advantage to users: Since the resources are paywalled (where is the list of those resources?), will relevant portions of cited resources be viewable by non-editing users? If not, why is that (apparently) considered a positive outcome?
3) Security question: Clicking the 'access' button informed me that something, somewhere wants me to share my e-mail address. Would/could that be viewed by *anyone* affiliated with *any* of the paywalled sources? What other editing information would be flowing to these org's? (I'd visit JSTOR and Elsevier over my dead body.)
In short, a lot of questions and few answers on that sign-up page. (I'm going to pass up the chance - but some answers here might help others decide what's best for them. Twang (talk) 20:49, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
- 1) Wikipedia has always allowed the use of paywalled sources. Not to mention offline sources. You know, like physical books? If we were limited to only using openly accessible online sources for writing articles, most subjects would not be possible to write on, let alone obscure ones.
- 2) The point of referencing is to showcase verifiable sources for information, but there has never been a requirement that those references be immediately accessible to all readers. Just like with offline sources, readers would need to track them down on their own. But it still provides a starting point for research if they're working on a project or something.
- 3) Yes, the Wikipedia Library accounts are connected to the email address you have set up for your Wikipedia account in the first place. Like what the "Email this user" button is for on the left side of all editor userpages. And, no, the Wikipedia Library accounts and connected emails would only be viewable by the limited number of people involved in the Wikipedia Library project, just like only bureaucrat level editors on Wikipedia would have viewing access to emails connected to Wikipedia accounts. The resource databases and websites used in the Wikipedia Library don't have any sort of access like that. With some exceptions, such as Newspapers.com that requires an account set up with them directly to access. But you have to separately request that access anyways in their case. So, again, no, none of the resources can see your email.
- I hope that helps. SilverserenC 21:09, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
- @Twang: Silver seren has given some good answers which mostly reflect our view on this. We consider this project, and in general citing material which isn't available to all readers, to be a net-benefit, because editors are bringing material which would have otherwise been completely inaccessible and are able to provide free summaries of that information. In terms of visibility for readers, some TWL collections have features which allow free-to-read clippings to be cited, but otherwise this is much like using any local library to find paywalled or offline material. In terms of question 3, please see this section of the Terms of Use: "we will share your information with the publishers whom you specifically select in order to provide you with access to resources. Otherwise, your information will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the circumstances described below." I'd like this to be a little clearer so I've filed T300374 to call this out more specifically where relevant. The short version is that your details (i.e. email address) are only ever sent to publishers who you apply to access, and only then when necessary. For the majority of the library's collections, no data is shared by us, and simply logging in to the library and accessing the collections available by default doesn't make your data available anywhere beyond The Wikipedia Library team at the Wikimedia Foundation. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 15:01, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
- Thank you both for your detailed replies. I understand the concerns these outside partners might have regarding this access (if not their motivations, or the 'application' parameters). I hope it helps editors decide whether to choose it. I'm still left wondering where I can read the editor community discussion which no doubt took place before the launch? Twang (talk) 02:21, 29 January 2022 (UTC)
- @Twang: About the library as a whole? It's hard to point at anything in particular, the library has been running in one form or another for the better part of 10 years at this point. The earliest discussions are probably the first archives of this very talk page which date back to 2012. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 16:17, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
- Thank you both for your detailed replies. I understand the concerns these outside partners might have regarding this access (if not their motivations, or the 'application' parameters). I hope it helps editors decide whether to choose it. I'm still left wondering where I can read the editor community discussion which no doubt took place before the launch? Twang (talk) 02:21, 29 January 2022 (UTC)
Wikinews
I was indefinitely blocked on Wikinews by the site admin (now deceased) many, many years ago because I disagreed with the way they were running the site. Am I required to have this block lifted to get access to the Wikipedia Library? I really have no interest in that sister project. Currently, I cannot access the library due to an “active block” on that site. Viriditas (talk) 22:53, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
- @Viriditas: Please send us an email at wikipedialibrary wikimedia.org and we'll look into this. We're exempting users from this criteria if they have trivial or very old blocks and are active elsewhere. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 16:18, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
Newspapers.com Issues
Anyone having issues trying to get renewed Newspapers.com access through the Library? I waited a week and then my application just disappeared? I hit renew again, but wondering how this process is actually supposed to go? Would REALLY love to get my Newspapers.com access, with the Publisher Extra Subscription. I miss it so much and it has led to me writing fewer articles. « Gonzo fan2007 (talk) @ 23:23, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
- Hi @Gonzo fan2007: Your previous renewal request was sent off to Newspapers.com to be actioned. You should have received an email on January 27th. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 16:22, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
- Ahhhhh, well that's what I get for checking my Wikipedia email once a month. Thanks Samwalton9 (WMF). « Gonzo fan2007 (talk) @ 16:32, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
Office Hours - 10th February
The Wikipedia Library team will be hosting Office Hours next week!
Time: 10th February, 1pm-2pm UTC (https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1644498009)
Link: https://meet.google.com/ycm-rjos-oqc/
The Office Hours will be a chance for you to learn about how to get the most out of the library, ask us any questions that you might have, or request that we add certain content that’s of interest to you and your community. If there’s interest in future Office Hours we’d be happy to schedule more at another day/time.
Looking forward to seeing folks there, Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 11:53, 4 February 2022 (UTC)
Question
Can Wikipedia Library help me if I want to find a source of someones birthday? –Ctrlwiki (talk) 07:21, 5 February 2022 (UTC)
- Quite possibly, if it's something that was ever reported in a newspaper or other source like that. SilverserenC 21:41, 5 February 2022 (UTC)
- Wow, thanks. –Ctrlwiki (talk) 10:34, 6 February 2022 (UTC)
Confusion - how to best search collections?
I'm really enjoying having access to the collections. Thanks. I haven't quite figured out how searches work effectively. For example, Gale appears under "My Collections". If I put a key word in the search bar for 'My Collections' on the home page I get one set of results. - - If I start again and go to Gale directly and search with the key word there, I get a whole different set of results that don't appear in the general 'My Collections' search. Is that a glitch? Am I doing something wrong? I would hope to do one search from the Wikipedia Library home page. I have only been using the library for a few months. Thanks Anna (talk) 00:58, 9 February 2022 (UTC)
- Anna, could you give an example of something you can find in Gale directly and not in the search bar on My Collections? Nikkimaria (talk) 02:47, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
Search issues
For a couple of days now, I find that the WL search intermittently returns only a JSON error:
JSON discovered, but fails syntax checking by parser:
SyntaxError: JSON.parse: unexpected character at line 2 column 1 of the JSON data
OpenLink Structured Data Sniffer
ver: 2.20.21
If I repeat the search, it sometimes works. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 10:34, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- "OpenLink Structured Data Sniffer" is a Firefox plugin, there seems to be a conflict between that and the WL search. I've disabled it, and not seen the problem since, but will continue monitoring in case that's just a coincidence. Thanks to User:Samwalton9 (WMF) for spotting that. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:18, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
Ancestry
Hi, I applied for Ancestry in July 2021 and was approved. Now, I've tried accessing it, but it doesn't show up under my available subscriptions. Is this a glitch? — Berrely • Talk∕Contribs 09:30, 9 February 2022 (UTC)
- There appears to be an issue with Ancestry at the moment - scroll up this page to see the previous discussion. My access was gone before my year had run out. Now the year I got has expired, I have applied again. It says, "This application is on the waitlist because this partner does not have any access grants available at this time." Yet the page for my application says there are "0/220" Active accounts! I contacted Ancestry about this, but they knew nothing. User:Eddie891 is aware of this problem. It would be good to get an update on it.--TrottieTrue (talk) 13:21, 9 February 2022 (UTC)
- Yes I've had to "renew" at least a half dozen times and am on the "wait list." It's a valuable resource, so I hope this is straightened out. Coretheapple (talk) 17:08, 9 February 2022 (UTC)
- Berrely, do you see it under My Collections? Nikkimaria (talk) 02:55, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- Nikkimaria, no, I don't. It doesn't even show up under the collections I can apply for. — Berrely • Talk∕Contribs 07:11, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- @Berrely, TrottieTrue, Eddie891, and Coretheapple: It turns out we had a bug where Ancestry accounts were being marked as expired (and therefore going down the bottom of your My Collections tab) almost immediately after you got approved. I've just fixed that for all the accounts we distributed in the past year - they should now be showing up in the right place with the correct expiry date. But Ancestry accounts only last for 1 year regardless, at which point I believe you need to get a new one. I'm currently talking to Ancestry to get some more. Sorry for the confusion! Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 16:50, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9: Thanks very much, glad it's cleared up. Right now Ancestry is still listed as expired. I logged off and on again to no avail. So can I assume it will take a little while? Then I went to Ancestry, was able to log on to my Wikimedia Account, but unforunately it's not working at the moment. Coretheapple (talk) 17:00, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: That makes sense, you got access September 2020, so it would have expired around the same month in 2021. We'll get you a new/renewed account as soon as we get some more from Ancestry. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 17:40, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- That would be great. Thank you. Coretheapple (talk) 20:36, 11 February 2022 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9: Glad to hear you've now sorted this. I hope my application for renewal can be processed soon. TWL currently says "124 Active accounts" for Ancestry. As there were 220 before, there should be some going spare. Thanks.--TrottieTrue (talk) 01:22, 12 February 2022 (UTC)
- That would be great. Thank you. Coretheapple (talk) 20:36, 11 February 2022 (UTC)
- @Coretheapple: That makes sense, you got access September 2020, so it would have expired around the same month in 2021. We'll get you a new/renewed account as soon as we get some more from Ancestry. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 17:40, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- @Samwalton9: Thanks very much, glad it's cleared up. Right now Ancestry is still listed as expired. I logged off and on again to no avail. So can I assume it will take a little while? Then I went to Ancestry, was able to log on to my Wikimedia Account, but unforunately it's not working at the moment. Coretheapple (talk) 17:00, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- @Berrely, TrottieTrue, Eddie891, and Coretheapple: It turns out we had a bug where Ancestry accounts were being marked as expired (and therefore going down the bottom of your My Collections tab) almost immediately after you got approved. I've just fixed that for all the accounts we distributed in the past year - they should now be showing up in the right place with the correct expiry date. But Ancestry accounts only last for 1 year regardless, at which point I believe you need to get a new one. I'm currently talking to Ancestry to get some more. Sorry for the confusion! Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 16:50, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
- Nikkimaria, no, I don't. It doesn't even show up under the collections I can apply for. — Berrely • Talk∕Contribs 07:11, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
I have to say, whoever came up with the idea of notifying eligible users: brilliant!
This resource is still underutilized because not enough editors know about it. (t · c) buidhe 00:21, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
- Came here to say exactly the same thing. Really happy to see this. Jr8825 • Talk 12:30, 25 January 2022 (UTC)
- Yes, it's brilliant. I had no idea. I guess the available partners will change over time...? Thanks to all involved in this ground break set of partnerships. Anna (talk) 02:52, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
- Make sure you also check under the "Available Collections" tab and not just the "My Collections" one, Anna Roy. The database you're looking for might just be one you have to separately apply for. Newspapers.com, one of the best resources for me, works like that. SilverserenC 03:36, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
- Yes, it's brilliant. I had no idea. I guess the available partners will change over time...? Thanks to all involved in this ground break set of partnerships. Anna (talk) 02:52, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
- Why did my 1,160th edit trigger a notification that says "You are now eligible for the Wikipedia Library"? I've been using it for some time. I appreciate the advantages of notifying eligible users, but is it not possible to filter out those who are already members? Dan from A.P. (talk) 14:45, 1 February 2022 (UTC)
- Just learned about this and glad for the notification, but probably should have qualified a long time ago too. Maybe there is a new campaign to roll it out? - Indefensible (talk) 00:52, 14 February 2022 (UTC)
Newspapers.com clippings
Weird stuff. Last few days/weeks, clicking on a clipping takes forever to pull it up. I can access and search Newspapers.com, no problem. But it seems like the clippings just don't want to pull up. — Maile (talk) 20:00, 15 February 2022 (UTC)
- The log jam seems to have cleared up for the moment. — Maile (talk) 02:21, 16 February 2022 (UTC)
Newspaper Archive question
I was supposed to get my login credentials for Newspaper Archive over a month ago and haven't gotten them yet. Any idea what's going on? I've tried several avenues and no one has answered me at all. Ten Pound Hammer • (What did I screw up now?) 22:38, 11 February 2022 (UTC)
- I know people always say "check your spam filters", but that's where my renewal credentials shows up last month. Penny Richards (talk) 00:20, 12 February 2022 (UTC)
- FYI, I had the same experience on Newspapers.com a few months back. I had posted here, also. After the fact, I was told my inquiries would have been more effective on the Library platform itself. I don't know if that's accurate, since I mostly posted here.— Maile (talk) 02:27, 16 February 2022 (UTC)
- For NewspaperARCHIVE.com it does seem like account setup emails are often ending up in spam. If you check there and don't find anything please feel free to ping me or email us at wikipedialibrary wikimedia.org. Samwalton9 (WMF) (talk) 10:12, 16 February 2022 (UTC)