To help improve this site we place small files, known as cookies, onto your computer. Some are essential for the site to work properly, others are to improve the experience you have.
You can stop this site using non-essential cookies by updating your settings above.
Please note, if you have used the site in the past these cookies may still be on your computer - but by disabling them in your settings we will no longer access them.
You can also decide to stop this or any site from using any cookies. To learn more about cookies and how to manage them visit KnowCookies.com.
We use cookies for several purposes on this website – we’ve listed each of them below with more details about why we use them and how long they’ll last.
You can tell us to stop using these at any time by updating your settings above.
The system that runs our website sets cookies to allow it to run smoothly.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| PHPSESSID | when you close your browser | |
| has_js | This tells the site whether you're using JavaScript or not | when you close your browser |
| visitedPreviously | randomly generated number | 60 days |
| ssess | Allow the page to provide you with content | |
| adaptiveLibraryDefaultState | Used to remember your display preferences | |
| jisc_eprivacy | Used to remember your privacy preferences | 90 days |
Our system uses cookies to allow you to log into the site, and access restricted content and services.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| PHPSESSID | To store a the logged in user's username and a 128bit encrypted key. This information is required to allow a user to stay logged in to a web site without needing to submit their username and password for each page visited. Without this cookie, a user is unable to proceed to areas of the web site that require authenticated access. | when you close your browser |
| loginCheck | when you close your browser | |
| PHPSESSID
|
To store a user’s shopping basket | when you close your browser |
| _saml_idp | Allow our identity provider to recognise you | six months after last visiting the site |
| _shibsession_<number> | Allow the page to provide you with restricted content | when you close your browser |
| sso_linked | Used for linking a licence subscriptions manager local user account to an institution login. Will be set to 1 if, after authenticating, the ID returned from the IdP above was matched with a local account. If 1, shows "Login with previous IdP" button instead of asking for name / password. | 3 weeks |
| authcache drupal_user drupal_uid
|
Used to improve the performance of the site for logged-in users | when you close your browser |
We use Matomo to collect information about how people use our site, and rough demographics as to what groups of people are using our site. We do this to make sure it’s meeting your needs and to understand how we could improve it.
Matomo stores information about:
The following cookies are set by Matomo:
|
|
|
Cookies set by Matomo |
|
Name |
Purpose |
Expires |
|---|---|---|
|
_pk_cvar |
A short-lived cookie that temporarily stores data for your visit |
30 mins |
|
_pk_ses |
A short-lived cookie that temporarily stores data for your visit |
30 mins |
|
matomo_sessid |
This is created when the opt-out feature is used and helps provide fraud prevention |
When you close your browser |
|
_pk_ref |
This is used to store the attribution information the referrer initially used to visit the website |
6 months |
|
_pk_id |
This stores a few details about you as a user, such as the unique visitor ID |
13 months |
|
_pk_testcookie |
This checks whether your browser supports cookies, and is then directly deleted |
Created, then directly deleted |
NB: Cookie guidance wording adapted from cookies on gov.uk, shared under the Open Government Licence.
Last updated: 17 Feb 2025.