Off-campus access

Stanford University Libraries offer e-books, article databases, streaming media services, and musical score collections that you can access as a Stanford student, faculty member, or staff member. However, when publishers or content providers don’t recognize your Stanford affiliation, you might encounter a paywall. This situation can occur for a couple of reasons – you’re off campus, or on campus but not connected to the Stanford Wi-Fi network. When you install the browser extension Lean Library, electronic resources within Stanford University Libraries' subscription portfolio will be detected automatically, even when you’re not on Stanford’s Wi-Fi network.

Lean Library

Simply download and install Lean Library to access content anytime and anywhere. You will not need to create an account when prompted while installing the extension.

Download the Lean Library extension

Lean Library is only active when you visit a website that has content licensed by Stanford University Libraries. It’s compatible with all modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera, and it is pre-configured to provide automatic access when an article is licensed by Stanford University Libraries.  

Privacy

For questions about your privacy, or data collection/retention, please reference Lean Library’s privacy policy.  

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Last updated January 7, 2026