LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that provides easy access to full-text articles when De Montfort University Library either subscribes to them, or an Open Access version is available. Articles can be read directly via the online platforms of journal publishers (such as Taylor & Francis Online, Elsevier ScienceDirect), index and citation services (such as Scopus), and other sites like Wikipedia.
LibKey Nomad is available to download for free on the web browsers Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Brave, Vivaldi and Safari.
To install the browser extension go to the Download Nomad webpage, select 'Get LibKey Nomad Now', and select the web browser to which you would like to install this extension.
Clicking on the browser link will take you directly to the LibKey Nomad page in the browser’s web store. Follow the instructions to install the extension. For example, clicking ‘Add to Chrome’ will install LibKey Nomad to Google Chrome.
When LibKey Nomad has been successfully installed you will be asked to select an organisation. Once you have selected 'De Montfort University', LibKey Nomad is ready to use.
Nomad is activated when it finds a DOI or PMID on a webpage. Your webpage will be updated with links to articles covered by DMU subscriptions or open access agreements. This is a great (and legal way) of getting round publisher paywalls.
When a 'Download PDF' button appears.
A confirmation box will appear to tell you that LibKey Nomad is locating the article, before the browser takes you to the requested item.
Accessing the article off campus may direct you to sign in with your University credentials. You will then be directed through to the article itself - either directly to the PDF (when the 'Download PDF' button is available and selected) or to an authenticated De Montfort University session on the publisher platform that allows you to download the PDF from the platform (when the 'Article Link' button is available and selected).
LibKey Nomad will also check for copies of articles held in Open Access repositories, like biorxiv.org.
Some sites may not permit immediate access to the PDF but provide a link or other way of reading the document.
Wikipedia and other sites which list references that include DOIs are enhanced for Libkey Nomad users. Buttons display with links to the Full Text of an article or to other Access Options available via the library.
To uninstall, right click on the LibKey Nomad icon. On Google Chrome select 'Remove from Chrome' on the menu that appears. On Firefox the option will be 'Remove extension'.
You can also uninstall LibKey Nomad via your browser’s web extension store and select ‘remove from...’. See the list of links to each LibKey browser store.
To disable LibKey Nomad (rather than uninstall it), right click on the LibKey Nomad icon and select 'Manage Extension'. On Google Chrome, for example, this will open up a menu that will allow you to switch LibKey Nomad off.
