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Using your SSO to log into LibApps

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You may be able to log in to LibApps to access Springshare products using your institution or organization's SSO (single sign-on). There are two options, determined by a LibApps Admin on your team who configures the LibAuth setup:

  1. Forced SSO: when active, you will be required to log in via your SSO. You won't see the LibApps login page (shown below) at all.
  2. Optional SSO: when active, you will go to the LibApps login page and can choose your desired method:
    1. Log in using the LibApps login form (your email address and LibApps password).
    2. Log in with your SSO by clicking the link to launch your SSO login form.
The LibApps login option and the SSO login link on the LibApps login page
A LibApps login page showing both the LibApps login form and the option to sign in via SSO.

LibApps Passwords and MFA when using SSO

When you first get your LibApps account, you'll be prompted to set or reset your password. You may also be prompted to set up MFA (multi-factor authentication). We strongly recommend doing both, even if you plan to use or are forced to use your SSO for logging in. If your SSO service is ever disrupted, you may need to use the LibApps login as a backup, and you might want to access your system quickly without dealing with setting up your password and MFA.

Set or reset your LibApps password

When an Admin creates you a new LibApps account, you will receive an email with a link to set your password. If this link expires, use the "reset your password" link from that email, or go to the password reset page:  subdomain.libapps.com/libapps/reset — be sure to replace the highlighted text in the example with your correct LibApps institutional subdomain (the same one used in your LibApps login URL).

  • In the password reset tool, provide the same email address that matches the one used for your LibApps account. This is the same email address where you got the welcome email.
  • The reset email should arrive within a few minutes.

For more details, see: How do I change my account password?

Set up LibApps MFA

  • If SSO is optional and MFA is required, use the LibApps option to log in. This will prompt you to set up MFA before completing the login.
  • If SSO is required, log in via your SSO. You can then activate your MFA from within your LibApps account.

The MFA you set up for LibApps will be used for your future LibApps logins only. It does not apply when you log in via your SSO. Instead, you'll use whatever authentication process is required by your SSO. It's possible your SSO requires MFA, too — be sure to grab the correct code, depending on how you are logging in. 🤓 


Troubleshooting SSO logins

If you're unable to log in via your SSO:

  • Check with a LibApps Admin to confirm your LibApps account has been set up using the correct email address. The email address returned from your SSO must match the email address of your LibApps account (it is not case sensitive). Note that we match on the attribute that is released from your SSO and set as the Email attribute in the LibAuth configuration, which is often but not necessarily the email address used as the SSO username to log in.
  • If no one on your team is able to login via SSO for a new configuration, a LibApps Admin can use the "test and troubleshoot" guidance for your specific LibAuth type.
  • For more guidance, have a LibApps Admin (if that's not you) contact Springshare Support.