Why is a database asking me to pay for an article?

Answer

Never pay to access an article.
If you are asked to pay, use the Library’s Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service instead. It’s free for TROY users!
📌 You can find ILL under the "Services" menu on the Library home page.

Why Does This Happen?

There are two common reasons:

1. You're seeing a login or paywall because you're on a publisher's site.

  • Some databases (like Sage Journals, ScienceDirect, and Wiley) show paid content alongside free content.
  • Even though TROY subscribes to many journals, we do not subscribe to everything in these platforms.
  • If you’re prompted to create or use a personal login, it’s not for TROY access—it’s for users who pay independently.

2. You're using Discovery Search, which sometimes links to non-subscribed content.

  • The Library’s Discovery Search tool is powerful but not perfect.
  • It searches across dozens of databases at once, and sometimes sends you to a publisher’s page for an article that looks available—but isn’t fully accessible.
  • This is most common with:
    • Cochrane Library
    • Emerald Insight
    • Project Muse
    • Sage Journals
    • ScienceDirect
    • Taylor & Francis Online
    • Wiley Online Library

These databases may show abstracts (summaries), but not always the full text unless TROY subscribes to that specific journal.

What Should You Do Instead?

If you reach a paywall or a login screen not tied to TROY:

  • Don’t pay.
  • Don’t create a personal account unless you’re saving citations (and even then, it won’t give you full text access).
  • Submit an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request.

We’ll get the article for you—usually within a few days—and at no cost to you.

 

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  • Last Updated May 19, 2025
  • Views 678
  • Answered By Troy Librarian

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