There are two main reasons.  Firstly we may not have access to the journal article you need, and secondly, if you're no on the University network (Eduroam) you'll need to sign in.

1. Do we have access?

To check if the University has access to the article you need, use the Search box on the Library webpage. Search using the journal publication title, instead of the article title, to see if the University has a subscription.  If there is a subscription the journal should show near the top of the results.  Check the journal record by clicking the title, to see if the subscription includes the year the article you need was published.  If we have access, click the link to access it, then browse to the article you need, or use the search on the journal's webpage.

2. You need to sign in

If you're away from the University Network (Eduroam) you may need to sign in to view the article, even if you have already signed in to your Library account.  Look for an Institutional, Shibboleth, or Access Management Federation option.  Search for or choose University of St Andrews, and when directed to the University  Microsoft sign in, use your email address and password.

If the Library doesn't have access to the article you need you can request it using the Inter-Library Loans/ Article Reach service.

If you have any problems accessing an article which you think the Library should have access to, please email us with the details, we'll investigate and get back to you.