The need for this service derives from the increasing use of distance learning. In such situations, patrons need access to databases though they may have little access to the library itself. Milwaukee County's web access management is still a work in progress. In the library this authentication process is bypassed. If the verification is successful, the patron is forwarded to the database.
Some problems remain to be worked out.
On the client side, Netscape is used. This solution is more difficult to set up, and local expertise must be available. In response to a question concerning the performance differences between WAM and a local proxy server solution, Gingery said there was little difference while Murray said that the proxy solution was potentially faster.