LibKey Nomad

LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that provides seamless full-text access to scholarly articles and e-books available through University Libraries while you research on the web.  LibKey Nomad also checks if the article is available Open Access or if an accepted manuscript is available, presenting you with the best full-text option.

Installing LibKey is easy! Just follow these steps:

• Go to the Download LibKey Nomad website. 
• Click on the icon for your browser and follow the on-screen prompts. LibKey Nomad is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, and Safari.
• Select University of South Carolina – Columbia as your Organization.

LibKey Nomad requires your permission to change data on the sites you visit as this allows it to detect article information. There are no user accounts to create, the extension does not ask for or store your institutional user credentials and does not run scripts on any webpages other than those that are publisher pages as well as a few select domains such as PubMed and Wikipedia.

LibKey Nomad will activate on Google Scholar, PubMed, Wikipedia, and publisher websites such as Taylor & Francis and Elsevier ScienceDirect. A button is automatically placed at the bottom corner of compatible webpages. The button will change depending on the type of access available. 

Download PDF: In a single click, you should either see a PDF on their screen or be prompted to immediately download the PDF.

Article Link: Indicates that the University Libraries provides access to the article and will take you to a page where you can view the article. 

Access Options: The article is not available and you will be prompted to request the article via Interlibrary Loan.

Manuscript PDF: The article has been found in the form of an Accepted Manuscript in a repository. While the content has been peer-reviewed it is unlikely to be formatted for publishing so may appear as an unformatted Word Document, etc. These documents never require authentication. You may also see a Manuscript Link button which is the same except one more click is required to get to the PDF, if the PDF is even available. 

View E-Book: LibKey Nomad enhances your access to e-books held by the library. If the publisher site or supported website references an e-book available from the library, LibKey Nomad will connect you to the e-book.  

Does LibKey Nomad work on every publisher website and for every article? 

No.  For example, JSTOR is currently not supported by LibKey Nomad. You can find a list of LibKey supported publishers here. 

LibKey Nomad only works for articles that have a DOI or PMID. Therefore, articles from newspapers, newsletters, conference proceedings, trade journals or magazines are not supported. 

Can I use LibKey Nomad on my mobile phone browser?

LibKey Nomad is compatible with desktop/laptop browsers only and is not compatible with mobile- or tablet-based browsers.

LibKey Nomad isn't showing that the article full text is available. How can I double check if the full text is accessible through the library?

From the library homepage, there are two main strategies to try.

• Search for the article title in the Find It @ USC search box on the library homepage. (Do not paste the full citation.) Look for the link labeled "Available Online" to see Full text availability options. From the options, select the link to the database or publisher that includes the year that you need.
• Use the Journals link below the search box and enter the publication title (not the specific article title.) Verify the journal title and look for the link labeled "Available Online" to see Full text availability options. From the options, select the link to the database or publisher that includes the year that you need. After making a selection, you will have to navigate to the year and volume or search for the article title.
• Some articles are not included in the library subscriptions and cannot be immediately accessed online. For these articles, make an Interlibrary Loan request for a free PDF scan of the article.

LibKey Nomad isn't showing that the e-book is available. How can I check if the e-book is accessible through the library?

• Publisher sites and platforms represent the discovery starting points but do not represent the coverage of content which extends to *all* e-Books within a libraries collection!  
• Search for the book title in the Find It @ USC search box on the library homepage. Find It @ USC will let you know if the book is available in an e-book or print format. 
• Can’t find the book you’re looking for? Search Find It @ USC and use the PASCAL Delivers option available in the Advanced Search. This will let you know if the book is available at another academic library in South Carolina.  If the book is not available from another South Carolina academic library, you can request the book using Interlibrary Loan.

Where can I view LibKey Nomad's privacy policy?

Libkey Nomad is provided by Third Iron. Third Iron's privacy policy is available here.