With the ever-expanding body of scholarly information, there is a growing need to be able to access the vast quantity of content to facilitate progress in research. Yet, many researchers still find it difficult to access content that is not part of their university network, especially when they use multiple devices such as computers or smartphones in several different locations. Since basing access to content on IP address authorization is no longer satisfactory, the Resource Access for the 21st Century (RA21) initiative sought to explore ways for simple, seamless, and secure access to scholarly information resources.
One answer to this call for improved access is SeamlessAccess.org, a modernized approach for accessing resources. Built on the guidelines established by the RA21 project, users of SeamlessAccess.org experience streamlined online access when using scholarly collaboration tools, information resources, and shared research infrastructure. Institutional control over the information that is shared among content, resource, and service providers is maintained, and personal data and privacy are also protected.
In a publisher first, Springer Nature is implementing the RA21’s Recommended Practice and SeamlessAccess.org’s services to enhance user experience and provide greater benefits for researchers and other users. Researchers will be able to transition seamlessly and intuitively between content published by different publishers or organizations, all with a consistent user experience. Scholarly publishing continues to evolve in this digital age, and this step towards seamless access will surely promote discovery, use, and sharing across the academic and research communities.
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