URSUS help Topics

Remote access

WWW
Telnet
Using UNET modem pools
Recommended browsers
Ursus and cookie settings
Accessing Indexes and Databases, etc

WWW access

Type the URL: http://ursus.maine.edu/ into any internet browser.

Telnet access

This option is available to anyone with a workstation with a telnet program connected to the Internet.

Telnet to: ursus.maine.edu
At the login prompt, type ursus (lower case)
Type v (for VT100 terminal type), then y (to confirm)
To log off, return to the opening menu and type L

UNET modem pools

UNET (University of Maine System Network) maintains remote access dial-in modem pools that provide a connection to a terminal server. Through the terminal server you can connect to URSUS, or any computer system on the UMS network. For remote access modem pool locations, phone numbers and parameters go to URL: http://www.unet.maine.edu/noc/modem.html.

Once you have connected to the terminal server, select the URSUS system.

At the login prompt, type ursus (lower case).
Type v (to confirm VT100 terminal type)
To log off, return to the opening menu and type L.

Recommended browsers

The URSUS Web catalog works best with MS Internet Explorer 5.0+. Other browsers such as Netscape, Opera, Web TV and the AOL web browser may not be relied on to perform consistently with certain URSUS functions, such as online requesting.

URSUS and cookie settings

What exactly is a "cookie"?

A "cookie" is a piece of information, which is passed back and forth between a client browser and a Web server. Cookies allow the browser to store information required by the server, e.g., a login name and password.

Which access method do cookies affect?

Cookies affect only Web browser access to URSUS. It does not affect Telnet access.

When does Web OPAC use cookies?

In the Web Access Management feature, the cookie sent to the browser, and passed back to the server, indicates that access to a remote server has been granted to the client browser. This allows the browser to request multiple pages from the remote server, without having to repeat verification for each request.
Cookies normally expire. The cookie used for the Web Access Management feature expires when the client browser is closed, or until 12:00 A.M. midnight server time.
Marking records for export uses cookies to gather the marked records into the "Export List." Cookies must be enabled in order for users to export records from the Web OPAC.
Maintaining a scope during a user session and other specific search dynamics are managed with cookies.

Does this feature have privacy or security issues?

The cookie used by this feature is a small data file written and stored on a workstation’s hard drive. The data in the file includes the user logon (ursus) and information about search options needed to deliver the appropriate results requested (such as scope selected; titles chosen to export).

However, if your browser is set to accept URSUS cookies, it will also accept cookies from other Web sites.

How can cookies be turned on or off?

On by default: If your browser accepts cookies, this feature is turned on unless you turn it off.

Turning cookies off: You can turn cookies off using by setting your browser not to accept cookies.

Accessing indexes and databases, electronic journals and eBooks listed in URSUS

Remote access to electronic journals, electronic books, and online databases that are listed in URSUS (either from computers on campus but not in the library, or from computers at off-campus locations) varies by publisher, type of Internet connection, and whether or not one's campus library subscribes to the resource. Remote access may not be available at all in some cases. Some online resources are only available from the subscribing library's workstations within the library building.

Many publishers require that access be restricted to computers with University of Maine campus IP addresses. What this means: users should connect using the UNET modem pools to get optimized access to many of the online resources, especially electronic journals, found in URSUS. Users of commercial Internet services will not be recognized as coming from a computer with a University IP address.