Yet the system must be secure enough to satisfy publishers that the restrictions of the licence agreement are really being met. Some of this material needs very careful access control, the problem is acute if these services are running on different servers. Off campus access needs to be secured to authorised individuals. Personalised services are only possible if relatively sophisticated authentication methods are in place. The problem of offering easy secure access to networked resources is an extension of a pre-existing problem for most Universities.
Users already have too many usernames and passwords for major on campus services.
Confusion over the difference between these is a major problem for helpdesks. Much work has been put into trying to coordinate UNIX and Netware passwords for example. And at minimum institutions expend a lot of effort explaining the difference and advising on password management. Part of the problem may be the obstacles to creating a single authoritative registry of staff, students and others with a relationship and rights from the institution. Unlike much networked information resources like here the information may be sensitive or potentially valuable.