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Using Electronic Resources

Browser extensions can efficiently connect you to the full text of publications, bypassing the need for PennText pages. Try them all to see which ones fit best with your workflow. Keep them all or just those that work for you.

Why use browser extensions?

  • help quickly connect you to PDFs
  • allow bypass of PennText pages
  • some give options for ordering article if the full text is not found online

What do browser extensions do?

  • Scan the page metadata for DOIs (digital object identifiers) and sometime PubMed PMIDs (unique identifiers used in the PubMed database)
  • Search library holdings and open access journals (often using unpaywall database of open access articles)
  • In the case of the Google Scholar button, search Google Scholar, Researchgate Academia.edu and authors' personal websites (questionable copyright) for the title
  • some give options for ordering articles if the full text is not found online

Browser extension compatibilities

Extensions generally work best with the most updated versions of modern browsers. 

Table explaining the different browser extension compatibilities

Editing or Removing Browser Extensions

Chrome

  • Open Chrome
  • Click extension icon in browser bar. Pin or unpin using pin icon or access more options by clicking the three dots:

Chrome Extension Option

OR

  • Click the three dots in the browser bar,

Browser Bar in Chrome

then choose More Tools > Extensions

Screenshot of More Tools, Extensions

 

Firefox

  • Open Firefox
  • In the upper right corner, click the Open menu icon
  • In the drop-down menu, select Add-ons
  • On the left side of the Add-ons Manager, choose Extensions
  • Under Enabled, toggle extensions off and on, or click on three dots and remove:

Screenshot of Firefox Extensions option

 

Edge

  • Open Edge
  • In the upper right-hand corner choose the Settings and more  Microsoft Edge More menu icon
  • From the drop-down menu, choose Extensions.
  • Under Installed extensions, toggle extensions off and on, or choose Remove.

Screenshot of Edge window for extensions

 

Safari

  • Open Safari
  • From the top menu bar choose Safari and then Preferences

Safari drop down menu to Preferences for Extensions

  • In the Preferences window, choose the Extensions tab.
  • Uncheck any boxes next to the extensions you want to disable
  • To remove the extension, select the extension name on the left and then click the Uninstall button.

Safari window for Extensions