How to get access to scientific articles on your iPad

While doing research on your iPad, you will certainly have come across access restrictions, such as a publisher paywall. I described the problem in another blog post, so this is to serve as a “how to”.

Overcoming a paywall on your iPad (or iPhone), can be as easy as 1, 2, 3

Step 1

Install Open Access Helper from the App Store.

Step 2

Click the Share icon within Safari

Step 3

Scroll down the list until you see OA Helper and tap it

After a few moments, when an Open Access copy is found, you will see a screen like this and you’d obviously tap the Go to Document Now button, highlighted below.

What if no Open Access is available?

If there is no Open Access available, speak to your library.

Sometimes the library has access already via a institutional subscription. You could start by searching for remote access on the library website to see, if you could get subscription access through a proxy server.

If subscription access is not available, your library can often obtain a copy at little to no cost to yourself, via an Interlibrary Loan. Inquire with the library as to their ILL policy.

Open Access Helper will typically offer to take you to openaccessbutton.org to request the document from the author. There are no guarantees, but you have nothing to lose!

Lastly, we will also try to find Open Access Recommendations from CORE Recommender, which will find you similar articles, but not the one you are looking for.

How to get access to scientific articles on your iPad
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