Overview
The library at Israel’s Academic Center of Law and Business has said "goodbye" to databases that won’t load and frequent authentication requests. It has migrated from a proxy solution to OpenAthens Compass, with support throughout from EBSCO.
Proxy Authentication Created Barrier to Library Access
The Academic Center of Law and Business in Ramat Gan is a leading provider of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, with the goal of training people for careers in public and private sector organizations. Students and staff depend on its well-stocked digital library for remote access to important databases to complete their program work.
The head of the library, Orit, says a crucial selection of their databases, including the Index to Hebrew Periodicals, were slow to load using the library’s proxy authentication solution. Other resources asked users to re-authenticate or accept terms of use again “on every screen,” and Shamai stated that this was frustrating for library users. Slow loading times and repeated prompting can cause users to abandon resources, driving down library usage.
Searching for a SAML-Based Solution
Library staff decided to solve this problem by migrating from its old proxy solution to a security assertion markup language (SAML)-based alternative. Earlier this year, they asked two providers how they could support the plan to give its patrons a smoother, quicker, more secure way to discover and use library resources.
We could see that their support to implement OpenAthens Compass would really be step by step, with someone available for every question.
We could see that their support to implement OpenAthens Compass would really be step by step, with someone available for every question.
“We had a meeting with EBSCO’s Israeli teamand were very impressed,” says Shamai.
“We could see that their support to implement OpenAthens Compass would really be step by step, with someone available for every question. The support, the ability to reach someone, and their knowledge were major reasons for our decision to work with them on upgrading our system.”
Proxy to SAML Migration Made Simple
OpenAthens Compass is the premium SAML-based single sign-on solution for complex libraries. It provides secure, seamless authentication, protects library patrons’ personally identifiable information and saves librarians time on handling repetitive, routine tasks so they can work more efficiently. It also has powerful reporting functions to help librarians and teaching staff with decision making.
Implementing it was “a very good experience,” says Shamai. The library simply had to contact its suppliers to inform them about the plans for a proxy to SAML migration and ask them to make the necessary updates on their side.
Then, EBSCO coordinated with the library’s suppliers and sent them clear information about how to make the necessary updates for the move. EBSCO built the library’s OpenAthens portal with the database list, checked that everything opened correctly, and worked with the library to tailor OpenAthens Compass’s reporting features to the library’s particular requirements, breaking down data by faculty and semester.
After that, EBSCO provided the library with its username and password for the MyAthens user portal. The library ran their own tests to make sure resources were opening correctly. The small handful of resources they flagged were quickly resolved with a simple email to their EBSCO team.
A Seamless Process and Improved Library Access
During the migration, the old proxy system continued to run while EBSCO and the library completed the rest of the integration. Students and staff could use their resources throughout with no access interruptions.
[OpenAthens Compass] has improved the learning experience through faster access, fewer problems and access to databases that did not work with our previous system.
[OpenAthens Compass] has improved the learning experience through faster access, fewer problems and access to databases that did not work with our previous system.
OpenAthens Compass went live at the Academic Center for Law and Business in the summer of 2026, and Shami says library staff immediately saw that resources were loading faster, without friction. As the library community settles in with their new authentication system, their EBSCO team is still providing regular support. Shamai says, “We are in frequent contact with EBSCO by email and phone. They are very available.”
As some final words of advice to fellow librarians around the world, Shamai says, “I’d recommend OpenAthens Compass and EBSCO to any library wanting to improve access to their resources and help students work better. It has improved the learning experience through faster access, fewer problems and access to databases that did not work with our previous system. The support team is amazing, and that is very important.”
“The process was not difficult, so my advice is not to think about it too much and simply make the move.”