I'm getting an error message when using Google Scholar. What's wrong?

An error message is appearing in the reCAPTCHA box reading "ERROR for site owner: Invalid domain for this site key." An additional message is "Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This page checks to see if it's really you sending the requests, and not a robot." That's followed by my IP address, the time, and a URL.

How do I get Google Scholar to work?

Answer

Seeing an error message like this?

reCAPTCHA reads "ERROR for site owner: Invalid domain for site key." Additional errors read "Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This page checks to see if it's really you sending the requests, and not a robot." This is followed by your IP address, a time, and the URL.

Unfortunately, occasionally Google blocks traffic from or through the library's proxy server. However, Google does not provide a way for libraries to contact them about Google Scholar when this or any other problems occur.

The block only becomes an issue when using the proxy to access Google Scholar from off-campus -- on-campus usage is generally unaffected. If past experience is any guide, the block will be lifted at some point. Without any information from Google, it is impossible to speculate when this block will be lifted. 

To circumvent this problem, set up Google Scholar's "Library Links" to access Georgetown resources. This will allow you to search Google Scholar without going through the proxy, which avoids Google's block. (You will still have to log in when you go from Google Scholar to a specific article.)

  • Go to the un-proxied version of Google Scholar. Make sure you're logged in (that your profile picture is displaying in the top right).
  • From the menu icon (top left), select "Settings" (then) "Library Links."
  • In the Library Links page, search for "Georgetown," and select "Georgetown University - Find Full Text @ GU."

In the Library Links section of the Settings menu, search for "Georgetown". Select the checkbox next to "Georgetown University - Find full-text @ GU" then click the "Save" button in the lower right.

 

  • Save and return to the Google Scholar homepage. You now should be able to search Google Scholar without the proxy, but still see the "Find full-text @ GU" links that lead you to our full-text databases:

Now, when logged in to Google and searching Google Scholar, you will see a link reading "Find full-text @ GU" next to articles held by the library. Following the link should bring you to the record for the article in HoyaSearch.

  • Clicking the "Find full-text @ GU" should bring you to the record for the article in HoyaSearch, our catalog, and from there you'll have one or more options to get the full text. (You will probably be asked to log in somewhere during this step.)
  • Last Updated Feb 16, 2022
  • Views 4161
  • Answered By Mark Winek

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