Complete MyAthens overhaul unveiled

MyAthens supports librarians in curating and managing resources through a central place, with users being able to access a wide range of materials. MyAthens has now been completely redesigned to incorporate a new suite of features and the addition of an enhanced add-on service called MyAthens Plus.

Our team embarked on this redesign project after an in-depth two-year discovery exercise. Through our research, we've set out to identify the key needs of OpenAthens’ 200,000 monthly users worldwide.

Improved user experience

As well as a new look, the focus is on user experience. Greater functionality and brand-new features enable ease of access. Once users are logged into their institution, access to chosen resources is already authenticated for every piece of content listed. This is designed so users don’t get frustrated as they do on alternative platforms when they can’t gain access.

The basic version of MyAthens is included with the standard OpenAthens subscription, which is optimal for libraries that already have well established library portals.

MyAthens Plus

An introductory period for MyAthens Plus will be offered to all existing OpenAthens customers at no additional cost until May 2022. It is ideal for information professionals looking for a knowledge portal, as they will be able to curate and organise resources for their users. MyAthens Plus builds on OpenAthens’ powerful access management capabilities, ensuring that patrons can easily access the content available to them.

Commenting on the new MyAthens, OpenAthens product manager, Jake Smallridge said: “Overall, the update has made the platform easier to use. The focus throughout has been on enabling our customers to deliver a top quality experience for their users with a minimum of time and effort.”

“We really went back to basics with this product. We have incorporated the simple functionality that our customers love already and added a range of enhanced features, all with the aim of creating a true starting point for user’s research.”

With a focus on building relationships with digital content vendors and acting as liaison for the global library community, OpenAthens e-resource manager, Emma Wilson-Shaw, said:

“Coming from a library background, I worked with the OpenAthens team to ensure the new MyAthens was built with the librarian’s needs at its core. I have worked in several institutions and I understand how much e-resource collections and technical understanding can vary. Any librarian will be able to use the new MyAthens. It is easy to use whatever their experience or technical knowledge, and relevant for libraries of all sizes.”

You can find out more about the complete MyAthens overhaul in this blog post and by watching this webinar recording.