LibKey - your shortcut to scholarly literature

LibKey offers users a new and innovative way to connect directly to academic literature, eliminating unnecessary clicks and uncertainty about access. With LibKey, users can seamlessly identify which articles are available through the University of Bergen Library and access full text instantly, wherever they are, without manual searching or navigating through various resources.

What is LibKey

LibKey is a suite of tools powered by AI-enhanced linking technology, enabling one-click access to scholarly materials. It integrates with major academic publishers, databases, and Open Access resources. The solution was developed by Third Iron and is used in many of their products, including BrowZine (e-shelf for e-journals).

LibKey Tools at UiB Library

If you have ever clicked on a direct PDF-link in Oria, chances are you have used LibKey without even realizing it. The University of Bergen Library subscribes to multiple LibKey tools designed to enhance the linking experience for users. These include:

• LibKey.io (DOI/PMID Lookup) – A simple search interface that connects users to millions of library-subscribed and Open Access articles using DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or PMID (PubMed ID). This tool acts as a resolver, taking users straight to the full text.
• LibKey Nomad –  A free browser extension that automatically identifies and provides direct links to library-licensed and Open Access full text articles referenced on public websites (like Wikipedia), citation databases (like PubMed, Web of Science), publisher websites (like Oxford University Press) and more (e.g. Amazon Books). In short - it knows what our library has access to and will automatically inform you about it.

To make the most of LibKey's features, we encourage you to explore these tools and incorporate them into your research routines for more efficient e-resource access.

Please note: LibKey provides direct links to articles, but connecting to the UiBs-network (VPN) is required to access and read the majority of them.

Publishers and LibKey-partners

The LibKey index is continuously evolving to ensure the broadest possible coverage. On Third Iron’s website, you will find an updated overview of which database providers and journals support LibKey technology. In addition, you can see which publishers offer direct links to PDF files.

Get started with LibKey.io

Simply go to: https://libkey.io/libraries/3157/ and run your search. You can bookmark the page in your browser for easy access and greater convenience in the future. The link can also be found in the top menu in Oria (under the three dots).

The first time you use LibKey.io (or after you clear your browser's cache), you will be prompted to select your institution - choose "University of Bergen". After that, LibKey will remember that you are from UiB and provide links based on our subscriptions and Open Access availability.

How to use LibKey.io

Simply copy-paste a DOI number (eg. 10.1371/journal.pbio.0030137) into the search box and let the magic happen. You will then be taken to a LibKey landing page, which may vary in appearance depending on your level of access to the specified resource:

• If the article is available in UiB's collection or via Open Access, you will see options for the PDF and/or the article link.
• If the article is not available through the UiB's subscriptions, you will be offered alternative access options – these will lead you to Oria, where you can either conduct a new search or request the article to be delivered to you.
• Below the PDF and article links, LibKey may provide a link to view an article in contex which opens a journal issue in BrowZine. There you can see other articles from the same publication.

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LibKey.io (screenshot)

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LibKey.io (screenshot)

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LibKey.io (screenshot)

About LibKey Nomad and how it works

If you don't use Oria often, the browser extension "LibKey Nomad" can make your life a little easier. This free plugin recognizes electronic resources you visit on the web and provides full text links to library-licensed content.

The extension also searches for open versions of articles and e-books. It is active at sites and databases researchers commonly visit, including publisher websites, PubMed, Web of Science, Wikipedia or Amazon.

Get started with LibKey Nomad

To get the extension:

• Go to Third Irons page, download the extension that matches the browser you are using and follow the setup instructions to install it.
• After installation, you will be prompted to choose your organization – select "University of Bergen". The affiliation can be changed at any time by simply opening the extension settings or clicking its icon in the browser.

Once installed, you will see the Nomad notification (widget, icon or a button) on any website that contains scholarly article content that may be available to you.

How to use LibKey Nomad

Whenever you're on a website with academic articles (or e-books), LibKey Nomad will automatically check if UiB has access to them.

• If we do have access, a navy-blue button with a green flame will appear (typically in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen), allowing direct access to the full text or PDF. Click on the button, to go to the article.
• If the article is not available within UiB subscribed content, you will be provided with additional access options – typically a link to Oria where you have the possibility to request the article or conduct a new search.
• Depending on the resource and availability status, you might also see other versions of the button (explanation of Nomad buttons).

When you use LibKey Nomad, you are automatically directed to the best accessible version of an article available for instant download, so there is no longer need for you to search for it in multiple places.

LibKey Nomad does not require the creation of a personal account, it does not track users or hold credentials, and it activates only on scholarly websites.

If you seek more information about LibKey Nomad, you can watch a 2-minute video from the developer for a quick demo, or check the official FAQ-pages.

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PLOS (screenshot)

LibKey Nomad can do wonders in PubMed. If you perform a search in PubMed, information about article availability (and direct links) will be visible already on the results list.

• If our library has access to the article, a PDF or full text button will show up. When you click on the button, it will take you directly to the resource where the article is hosted and available for download.
• If UiB doesn't have access to the article, you will be presented with an "Access Options" button.  When you click on the button, it will take you to Oria where you can request the article to be delivered to you or perform additional search.
• LibKey Nomad can also provide a link to the complete issue of a journal. When you follow the link, it will take you to BrowZine where you can browse the table of contents and discover other articles from the same journal.

In other words, LibKey Nomad streamlines the process of accessing articles by dramatically reducing the number of "clicks" needed to obtain the full text. Without it, you may not have immediate clarity about access and typically need to take additional steps to retrieve the full text.

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PubMed (screenshot)

Stable Linking

LibKey.io can be used as a prefix to any DOI or PMID to create a permanent link to the article. To create stable links with LibKey.io simply add "libkey.io/" in front of any DOI or PMID in your browser's address bar (eg. https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pbio.0030137).

E-book detection

Since February 2022, LibKey Nomad can detect e-books – the same way it identifies articles. The extension works on several different publisher sites (eg. Oxford University Press) as well as popular platforms including Amazon or Wikipedia.

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OUP (screenshot)

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Amazon (screenshot)

Retracted Articles

When an article is retracted (no longer considered reliable or valid), LibKey will change its color from the default navy-blue to crimson-red. It will also provide information about the retraction, including official notices from the publisher, links to related articles from Retraction Watch, and reasons for retraction.

This transparency helps to raise the awareness of the article's current reliability. Here is an example of a retracted article.

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ScienceDirect (screenshot)