Full-Text Browser Extensions
Tired of running into a paywall when you're doing your research?
Full-text browser extensions search thousands of online repositories to help you find Open Access versions of research articles that are locked behind paywalls. They are free, legal, easy to install, and a great way to find quick access to research and avoid crashing into paywalls.
For more information on Open Access, check out our handy Library Guide.
Unpaywall
The Unpaywall browser extension searches a database with almost 30 million Open Access articles and notifies you if it finds freely accessible full-text versions of an article you are viewing.
Check out this video introduction to Unpaywall from SFC Librarian, Matthew Schofield.
Google Scholar Button
The Google Scholar Button is a browser extension for easy access to Google Scholar from any webpage. Find full-text versions of articles from the SFC Library and the web.
- Whenever you find a research article online that you cannot access, simply click on the blue Google Scholar Button
in your browser toolbar.
- A pop up box appears providing links to available full-text versions of the article from the web or from the SFC Library databases (if you have connected your Google account to the SFC Library)
- You don't need to be viewing a research article to use Google Scholar Button. Click the button on any webpage (or just manually input a search) to receive links to relevant scholarly articles based on your webpage.
- Navigate to Google Scholar and select the settings menu
- Select the "Button" link on the settings menu.
- Click on the link that says "Install Scholar Button to look up papers as you browse".
- Click on the blue "Add to Chrome" button.
- Once you've done this you should see the Google Scholar Button in your browser toolbar.
Open Access Button
The Open Access Button is a browser extension to help you bypass paywalls and find freely available Open Access versions of research articles.
If you find a research article locked behind a paywall, simply click on the orange Open Access Button in your browser toolbar.
The Open Access Button then searches thousands of online repositories and directs you to a freely available Open Access version of the article if it finds one.
If it is unable to find an Open Access version of the article, there is also a service to request the article directly from the author as well.
- Navigate to Open Access Button website. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select the link that says "Get the Chrome browser extension, no sign up required"
- Click on the blue "Add to Chrome" button.
- Once you've done this you should see the Open Access Button
in your browser toolbar.