Connect from Off Campus (VPN)

The answer depends on when the Office of Information Technology (OIT), which manages UCInetIDs, updates their student records. Once OIT updates their student records, you will no longer have access. If you have questions about when your record will be updated, contact the OIT Help Desk. Please also visit the OIT Alumni page for more info.

Note: Keeping your UCI email address after graduation is not the same thing as having an active UCInetID.  A UCI email address does not enable you to remotely access the UCI Libraries' licensed resources.

You're not alone; graduates from all higher education institutions ask this. Vendors only license resources to higher education institutions for authorized users to access.  Authorized users are either: 

• UCI Authorized Affiliates (i.e., current students and employees) 
• Visitors physically present on the UCI campus.  (However, there are some resources that are restricted to UCI Authorized Affiliates; these will be clearly marked.)

The UCI Libraries have a research guide featuring Freely Available Resources.

You are welcome to use a computer ON the UCI Campus (e.g. in Langson Library, Starbucks, etc.) to access most of our licensed resources for personal, educational, non-commercial purposes. You do not need a library card to access these resources. Some resources are restricted to UCI Authorized Affiliates (i.e., current students and employees). Those resources will be clearly marked.

You may bring your own computer to UCI. You will need to register as a guest on UCI's wireless network.

Because UCI is a public university, most our libraries are open to the public; the exception is the UCI Law Library (UCI Law Library: Visitor Information). The UCI Libraries have some public computers, and the majority of these are in Langson Library. Public computers are desktop computers that do not require login credentials to use. If you are planning to visit, please review our building and service desk hours and directions and parking information.

If you want to use the computer labs/resources that belong to the school you graduated from, please inquire with that school directly about the availability of those resources.

Unfortunately, no. Vendors only license resources to higher education institutions for authorized users to access.  Authorized users are either: 

• UCI Authorized Affiliates (i.e., current students and employees) 
• Visitors physically present on the UCI campus.  (However, there are some resources that are restricted to UCI Authorized Affiliates; these will be clearly marked.)

Providing remote access (for free, or for a price) to people who aren't authorized users would violate our license agreements with our vendors. To enjoy unrestricted remote access to a vendor's valuable electronic information, individuals and businesses should directly purchase or subscribe to a vendor's products.

Unfortunately, no. That would violate the license agreements we have with our vendors, which could result in vendors revoking UCI's access to their licensed resources, or even suing us.

You may be pleasantly surprised by the resources available (online too) through your local public library! Cardholders at public libraries can also use Interlibrary Loan to borrow much of the content owned by other libraries too. Many public libraries let you sign up for a library card for free or a very low cost through their website. And if you visit them in-person, there's often free parking!

Yes, if you acquire a library card. If you join the UCI Alumni Association, you might qualify for a free library card, depending on the UCI Alumni Association’s current rules. You can also purchase a library card.

A UCI Libraries card does not enable you to remotely access the UCI Libraries' licensed resources.  

Please visit the UCI Alumni Association's Membership Benefits page to see the resources they offer. Sometimes UCI organizations license resources specifically for their members, separately from resources licensed by the UCI Libraries. Please direct access questions to the organization that is promoting access for their members

Unfortunately, no.

Regardless of your affiliation elsewhere, the answer depends on whether you are doing work in collaboration with a researcher at UCI. If yes, then you might be able to obtain a Sponsored UCInetID from the Office of Information Technology (OIT), the office that manages UCInetIDs. An active UCInetID and password is required to remotely access the UCI Libraries' licensed resources.

Only UCI faculty, or management-level staff members, or their designees may sponsor someone. The UCI Libraries cannot grant sponsored UCInetIDs because that is outside of our jurisdiction. Please contact your research collaborator, or their UCI school/departmental IT office, and OIT.