Technical Requirements 

Specific technical requirements for using the library Web site, instructions for software downloads, firewall and remote access information, as well as general technology assistance are all available from this page.

Browser Requirements

The Helmke Library Web site has been designed to be best viewed using Netscape Navigator 7.x or higher and Internet Explorer 6.x or higher.

The Netscape and Microsoft download sites provide instructions for updating or downloading the newest versions of free browser software. Be patient because downloads from home can take a significant amount of time, even with a relatively fast modem.

We recommend strongly that if you are using an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that supplies a built in browser (America Online/CompuServ, EarthLink, MSN, etc.), you instead use Netscape or Internet Explorer. To select these browsers, connect as usual to your ISP, and then close the window (don't sign off) and open Netscape or Internet Explorer on your system.

No matter which browser you are using you will need to make sure:

• Your Java and Javascript is enabled
• Your cache is only verifying recent pages
• Your browser is accepting all "cookies"
• Minimum recommended screen size 800x600

Both Microsoft and Netscape provide help documents at the following sites:

Netscape:

http://help.netscape.com/search.html

Microsoft:

http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1

Required Additional Software

Many of IPFW's licensed databases accessible via Find Resources By... on the library's homepage provide the full-text content of articles as PDF ("portable document format") files. To view or print a PDF document requires Adobe Acrobat Reader software. The recommended version available for free download is:

• Acrobat Reader 7.x

The library's Web site may also integrate video, text, and graphics which require additional software to view. Currently the library tutorials require Macromedia Flash Player. The recommended software version is available for free download from:

• Macromedia Flash Player 7.x - Check you version of Macromedia Flash Player

Company Firewalls

If you are planning on using a computer at your office you may run into problems with your company's network security system. If you have persistent difficulty accessing the library's Web site, contact your company's IT staff. IPFW's IT staff has no control over such variables, nor do they have any idea what particular part of the security system might be causing the problem.

Remote Access

IPFW's Helmke Library offers access to a wide range of electronic resources, including periodical indexes, electronic journals, and statistical databases. Most of these electronic resources are available via the Web from any computer with Internet access. In many cases, licensing agreements with database providers and vendors or copyright restrictions require that remote/off campus access be limited to IPFW students, faculty, and staff. Visitors to the campus are welcome to use these resources in the library.

For further information about access restrictions, the library's Find Resources By... page provides an availability statement for each resource offered. To meet licensing requirements, you may be prompted for your IPFW username and password in order to verify that you are associated with the university. If you are using Internet accelerator software you may need to temporarily deactivate it to log into library systems.

For students, your username is your student lab account name. For faculty and staff it is your office computer account name. Your password is the same as that associated with your student lab or faculty/staff account. If you are affiliated with IPFW and do not have a valid computer account, use the following links to view procedures for obtaining an account: Students or Faculty/Staff.