About the Wikipedia Library
The Wikipedia Library allows active editors to access a wide range of collections of paywalled reliable sources for free!
This platform is our central tool for facilitating access to our available collections. Here you can see which partnerships are available, search their contents, and apply for and access the ones you’re interested in.
All users receive immediate access to some collections, which can be browsed by clicking the 'Access collection' buttons or using the search bar at the top of the page. Other collections require an application before access is granted, and may be accessed directly or via an individual login or access code. Volunteer coordinators, who have signed non-disclosure agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation, review these applications and work with publishers to get you your free access.
For more information about how your information is stored and reviewed please see our terms of use and privacy policy. Accounts you apply for are also subject to the Terms of Use provided by each partner’s platform; please review them.
Who can receive access?
Any active editor in good standing can receive access. For publishers with limited numbers of accounts, applications are reviewed based on the editor’s needs and contributions. If you think you could use access to one of our partner resources and are an active editor in any project supported by the Wikimedia Foundation, please apply.
Any editor can use the library if they meet a few basic requirements:
- You have an account that is a minimum of 6 months old
- You have made a minimum of 500 edits to Wikimedia projects
- You have made at least 10 edits to Wikimedia projects in the last month
- You are not currently blocked from editing a Wikimedia project
If you are applying for an available collection, please first check that you don't already have access through another library or institution. If you do, please consider using that access rather than taking up a seat for this resource in The Wikipedia Library.
If your account is blocked on one or more Wikimedia projects, you may still be granted access to The Wikipedia Library. You will need to contact the Wikipedia Library team, who will review your blocks. If you have been blocked for content issues, most notably copyright violations, or have multiple long-term blocks, we may decline your request. Additionally, if your block status changes after being approved, you will need to request another review.
What do I do after I get access?
Approved editors may use their access to:
- Search, view, retrieve, and display partner content
- Electronically save partner content
- Print out single copies of partner content
Approved editors should not:
- Share their account logins or passwords with others, or sell their access to other parties
- Mass scrape or mass download partner content
- Systematically make printed or electronic copies of multiple extracts of restricted content available for any purpose
- Datamine metadata without permission, in order, for instance, to use metadata for auto-created stub articles
Respecting these agreements allows us to continue growing the partnerships available to the community.
EZProxy
EZProxy is a proxy server used to authenticate users for many Wikipedia Library partners. Users sign into EZProxy via the Library Card platform to verify that they are authorized users, and then the server accesses requested resources using its own IP address.
You may notice that when accessing resources via EZProxy that URLs are dynamically rewritten. This is why we recommend logging in via the Library Card platform rather than going directly to the unproxied partner website. When in doubt, check the URL for ‘idm.oclc’. If it’s there, then you’re connected via EZProxy.
Typically once you’ve logged in your session will remain active in your browser for up to two hours after you’ve finished searching. Note that use of EZProxy requires you to enable cookies. If you are having problems you should also try clearing your cache and restarting your browser.
Library Bundle
The Library Bundle is a collection of resources for which no application is required. If you meet the criteria laid out above, you will be authorized for access automatically upon logging in to the platform. Only some of our content is currently included in the Library Bundle, however we hope to expand the collection as more publishers become comfortable with participating. All Bundle content is accessed via EZProxy.
Citation practices
Citation practices vary by project and even by article. Generally, we support editors citing where they found information, in a form that allows others to check it for themselves. That often means providing both original source details as well as a link to the partner database in which the source was found.
Contact us
If you have questions, need help, or want to volunteer to help, please see our contact page.