Macclesfield Proxy
Quickly access resources off-campus through the Macclesfield College proxy.
Proxy Bookmarklet
Whenever you are on a site that requires licensed access, click on the "Macclesfield proxy" bookmarklet. You will be asked to login, and then redirected to the "proxified" version of the site.
What is OpenAthens?
OpenAthens is a single sign-on service that lets Macclesfield College students, faculty, and staff securely access the university’s online resources from anywhere. Once you're logged in with your Macclesfield credentials, you can explore journals, databases, and other academic content—just as if you were on campus.
Why use OpenAthens?
Due to licensing agreements with publishers, most of Macclesfield College’s online academic content is limited to authorized users. OpenAthens bridges the gap by verifying your identity and granting access from anywhere, without requiring you to connect through the university’s internal network.
What’s the difference between EZproxy, OpenAthens, and VPN?
EZproxy, OpenAthens, and VPNs all offer ways to access restricted academic resources off-campus, but they work in very different ways. EZproxy uses IP-based authentication, rerouting your connection so it appears as though you're on the university network. OpenAthens, on the other hand, uses identity-based authentication—meaning you log in once with your institutional credentials, and it grants access based on who you are, not where you're connecting from. VPNs simulate a campus environment by creating a secure tunnel to the university’s internal network, which can be more resource-intensive and less user-friendly.