EZ Proxy without Patron API - Summary

["Riesner, Giles" <griesner@xxxxxxxxxx>]

	Thanks to all who responded to my query about using EZ Proxy without
the Patron API as
	an alternative to WAM (which currently requires patrons to configure
their browser), both on 
	and off the list.  For future reference, here's a summary of the
responses:

	On the List:

	From  Richmond,Ian [ir28@xxxxxxxxxx]:

       	We do this.  The patron API is necessary to interact directly
	with ezproxy as we do.  But others just make a review list of 
	a couple of fields in the patron database at regular intervals 
	and copy it to the ezproxy server, where ezproxy authenticates 
	against it.  To turn on the patron api cost just half of what 
	our previous WAM cost.  I love the fact that circulation people 
	can fix a record and have it work right away, but it did cost 
	in the beginning.

	So the cheap way would be - a throw-away box running a secure 
	version of Linux, $500 for ezproxy, and exporting a review file 
	each night.


	From  Steven Moody [smoody@xxxxxxxxxx]:
	     
       	We are using EZPROXY without Patron API...I export the Patron 
	name and (in our case) the University ID (but it can be 
	anything, for instance, patron barcode) from a Create List to 
	email, then run a PERL script on it which puts it into the 
	correct format (two fields separated by a semi-colon...which 
	must match exactly what is entered in the fields, although not 
	case-specific...we have simply been using the last name only
	plus the id number).

	I am planning, as soon as I get a minute, to use the macro-writing
	capacities of OCLC Passport (which I learned about at the last 
	IUG meeting) to automate this process. 


	From  Mieko Yamaguchi [iss053@xxxxxxxxxx]:

	As there have been quite a few messages on WAM recently I thought
	some people may be interested to know that according to an
Innovative
	sales rep Release 2002 WAM will eliminate the need for users to
	configure their browser.  I don't think this was mentioned in the
	preliminary Release 2002 enhancements list.

	     [Note: the subject on this was  WAM and browser configuration.
I have included it, however, as
	      it was sent in response to my query because of our desire to
do patron authentication for databases
	      without having the patrons need to configure their browser.]


	Off the List (responded directly to me):

	From Hendrickson, Doris M [dhendric@xxxxxxxxxx]: 

	We are using EZProxy without API here at Radford University.  
	There are a number of options for EZProxy patron authentication.
	One is to use the campus mail server (IMAP or POP), which is what we
  	do.  It requires 	virtually no maintenance or support on our
part at 
	all, since Information Technology maintains the email addresses.  
	Of course, all faculty and students here have email addresses, which

	makes this a perfect, maintenance-free choice for us!


   From  jhammer@xxxxxxxxxx: 

      The Patron API is not required in order to use EZProxy.  However, 
	you will need some file to authenticate against and the API simply 
	allows you to access data you already have in the patron records.  
	We get a separate file from our Information Systems people with just

	the data we use for authentication.  I suppose you could create a
file 
	with Create Lists although we haven't done that.


    From  Beth Hodgson [hodgson@xxxxxxxxxx]:

            We do use EZproxy but do not have API.  For authentication, we
use 
	the patron barcode numbers.  Once a week I create a list in our
system
	of all the barcodes (about 5,000) and transfer them via FTP to the 
	technician who does a little clean up and puts them into the proxy
server.


    From  Lee Norden [norden@xxxxxxxxxx]:
	We create a "list" of patrons, "print" their ID #'s to a file, ftp
to 
	the EZProxy server where it is run through an editor script that
	formats it for EZProxy. The steps are repeated early during the
	semester to pick up newly registered patrons. Otherwise, the
	file is edited case by case.


My boss has spoken with one of our IT people and it's a very real
possibility that we may be doing our
authentication with EZProxy (or the likes) and no API in the near future.

Thanks again for the information and encouragement.


Giles W. Riesner, Jr.,   Technology Support Specialist
Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville Library  
800 S. Rolling Road Baltimore, MD 21228  USA
Voice mail: 1-410-455-4245
Email: griesner@xxxxxxxxxx OR griesner@xxxxxxxxxx