Over the summer, library staff have encountered some issues accessing electronic resources and discovered that the block is caused by the Zotero Connector browser add-on in both Chrome and Firefox.

If you already have the Zotero Connector installed, we recommend uninstalling and reinstalling it in all the browsers you use. (In our testing, we have found that first-time installations of the add-on seem to be unaffected.)

Visit our Zotero guide for quick access to the download link.

This summer, the library updated the proxy, a technical aspect of how we handle access to electronic resources from off-campus.

Despite extensive testing before the proxy update, we have recently received numerous reports from people having problems reaching our resources when working off-campus – these could be ebooks, databases, journals, or articles.

We know how frustrating it is to encounter a problem like this, and we all feel the start of the semester looming. We want to make sure you can access every electronic resource you need!

If you are experiencing issues, please try these common fixes:

Starting from a Bookmark

If you are starting from a bookmark in your browser, that bookmark may have old proxy information in it. To resolve this, try to reach the desired resource through our database A-Z list or through a catalog search, then create a new bookmark and delete the old one.

If you cannot reach the desired resource by any means, please report it to our help queue by emailing er-problem-report[at]reed.edu.

Starting from the Catalog

If you are starting from a catalog search, and you get an error when you try to open a link, it may be that the URL does not have the updated proxy prefix.

If you see the old prefix https://login.proxy.library.reed.edu/login?url= in front of the address, try to paste the new prefix in its place: https://reed.idm.oclc.org/login?url=

Whether that works or not, it would be very helpful if you could report the access problem to our help queue by emailing er-problem-report[at]reed.edu. We will work with the vendor and the proxy company to make sure that resource link is updated.

Reporting a Problem

If you do have to email a report to our help queue, please include the following details:

if you were on or off campus at the time

what operating system you use

what browser(s) you use

where you started (bookmark, A-Z list, catalog search, etc.)

what kind of problem you encountered

the name of the resource you wanted to reach

We’ve made some updates to the library catalog! On May 23rd, Reed Library updated our catalog software. The updated version is much easier for us to manage and maintain, allows us to add content faster, and gives us more options to meet your needs. It also isn’t all that different! Most features will work the same as you’re used to.

Check out some things that we’re excited about in the updated version:

• Search Reed, Summit, and Articles by default. Want to limit to just Reed materials like books, ebooks, and journals? Select the “Reed Library Only” dropdown.
• Search or browse electronic and print journals together in Journal Search.
• Easily explore Reed College theses via their own dropdown.
• From the PARC homepage, search for resources and then filter by Genre, Instrumentation, Musical Key, and more.
• From the Special Collections and Archives homepage, search for rare books, artists books and more, then filter by collection.
• We updated the colors a bit. Hopefully this will help highlight links at the top like our Featured Exhibits, where we highlight resources from past library book displays and bookclubs. Check out past MRC bookclub picks, or resources from the “The Legacy of Activism in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Diaspora” book exhibit.

Your saved searches: action required!

• “Saved searches” will NOT automatically transfer with the update. Before May 23rd, copy your saved searches and keep them safe. After May 23rd, you’ll need to recreate your search, following the instructions below.
• Don’t want your saved search anymore? No need to do anything.
• Don’t have any saved searches? No need to do anything.
• “Saved items” and any labels you’ve added will be copied into the updated catalog; no need to save and recreate these.

How to keep your saved searches

• Before May 23rd, login to your saved searches in My Favorites in the library catalog.
• Copy your saved search list, and paste it somewhere safe like a text file or google doc.
• After May 23rd, go to the library catalog, and login.
• One at a time, do a search for your query, and select any scopes or filters you want to apply.
• Select the “Save query” pin, right above the search results.
• Repeat for all your saved searches.
• Check that all searches were saved under My Favorites > Saved Searches.
• If you’d like, you can select to receive email or RSS notifications to new additions to your search.

Need help? Reach out to library@reed.edu.

If you would like to checkout books over the summer or extend the ones you have, please stop by the circulation desk. A library staff member will update your account accordingly.

Reed College seeks an innovative and service-oriented Acquisitions Specialist to procure current and out-of-print materials, in all formats and languages. In this position, you will collaborate with a team of library specialists and subject librarians to support students and faculty engaged in research, inquiry, and coursework throughout the curriculum.

 Reed College offers an exceptional benefits package, including comprehensive and cost-free medical and dental insurance for you, and a 60% discount on medical and dental insurance for your dependents, 403(b) retirement plan with 10% employer contribution (after one year of service), educational assistance for employees and their children, 22 days of paid vacation, paid holidays, half-day Fridays in the summer, and many other campus amenities. This is a full-time, non-exempt role with work hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a one hour unpaid lunch. Starting hourly rate for this position is $22.44 per hour. 

Who You Are

• You have experience working in a library or you know that you want to focus the next chapter of your career in library services.
• You are highly organized and you care about the details. You do your best to dot your I’s and cross your T’s.
• You enjoy library technologies and are eager to learn more. 
• You are comfortable making educated decisions based on researching options and evaluating the information available.
• You cultivate relationships and enjoy working with others as part of a team. Your colleagues would describe you as collaborative.
• You thrive in an ever-changing environment. People would describe you as adaptable when challenges arise.
• You are self-aware and understand your own culture, identify, biases, prejudices, power, and privilege.
• You are an advocate for diversity with a commitment to fostering an accessible, equitable, and inclusive environment and workplace.
• You have a bachelor’s degree, or two years of library technical services experience, or any combination of education and experience that provides the desired knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job.
• Ideally, you have first-hand experience using library systems such as Alma, Gobi, and Connexion.

What You’ll Do

• Order new purchases of books, DVDs, CDs, scores, and other materials in a variety of languages and from a variety of general and specialized library vendors.
• Create and update order records in the library’s integrated library system (Alma).
• Search and import existing bibliographical records from OCLC Connexion into the library catalog.
• Monitor and review accuracy of order fulfillment.
• Process payment of invoices and assist in monthly credit card reconciliation.
• Communicate with vendors about a wide range of issues including orders, invoices and payments.
• Select and track use of budget resources including gift endowments and funds.
• Perform copy cataloging for some monographs.
• Process donations to the library.
• Receive, sort, and distribute library mail.
• Lead and contribute to annual collection maintenance projects.

For more information about applying, click here.

Name: Yoela (they/them)
Year: Senior
Major: Religion

Favorite library resource: The stacks! Specifically rolling through the stacks to find book after book

Favorite place to study in the library: North stacks basement and miscellaneous second floor couches

Reason you wanted to be a reference assistant: I love the Reed library! A Reed librarian taught me how to find physical book copies my first year at Reed and I spent the rest of the year navigating the maze of books. I wanted to be a reference assistant to help future students and soak up more of that library glory.

Hardest thing about research: I always have a hard time finding a myriad of sources that approach a topic from different angles, while ensuring that they are all scholarly and peer-reviewed.

Favorite thing about Reed: Crunchy buildings, different colored leaves, gargoyles, nooks and crannies.

Cool class you’ve taken at Reed: Semantics of Love in Sufism with Kambiz Ghanea Bassiri. In the class, we explored the development of Sufism over time in the Islamic world and traced changing themes in the evolution of Islamic mystical thought.

Favorite hidden gem in Portland: Sellwood Riverfront Park!