Hidden Automatic Navigator (HAN)

Hidden Automatic Navigator (HAN) is a solution for libraries and institutions that enables remote off-campus access to licensed electronic resources – databases, e-journals, and e-books – even outside the organization's IP range.

HAN typically functions as a reverse proxy server: the user communicates with the institution's HAN server, which then mediates access to content providers.

What HAN is used for

• Simple off-campus login: users log in, e.g., with institutional credentials and subsequently access resources much like within the organization's network.
• Central point for e-resources: a library can route resource links so they automatically pass through HAN authentication.
• Practical service for registered users: staff, students, and PhD candidates per organizational rules.

Key features and benefits

• Simplifies remote access without manual proxy settings in the browser; many libraries present this as "click and log in".
• User privacy protection: because access goes through the HAN server, the user often does not communicate directly with the publisher's platform; some libraries use this as an anti-tracking measure against content providers.
• Functional coverage for e-resources: managing access and ways of making it available; a public overview of functionalities is also available.