The National Library of Medicine is proud to offer the DOCLINE interlibrary loan requesting system, which enables librarians like you to help each other find the content you need, when you need it. 

Due to an unsuccessful attempt to hack into our system, we are taking steps to make our system safer and more secure. To do this,

the National Institutes of Health, like other federal agencies, has decided to leverage the expertise at Google for identity authentication. NIH IT now supports Google login for use of NIH resources, including DOCLINE, via their iTrust user identification portal.  For users of DOCLINE, this means you will need a Google account for secure login.

We understand that the move to Google accounts may be challenging for some users, but the benefits are worthwhile.  You’ll benefit from security improvements and also centralized account maintenance for NLM web resources which will result in increased efficiency and accountability, and improved user self-service like ‘I forgot my password.’  

Users of DOCLINE must have a Google account to log in. We recommend creating new individual accounts based on existing work e-mail addresses rather than using existing Gmail accounts.  In fact, Gmail is not required. 

The system uses Google accounts for secure login only. Your Google account information is not used in any other way and your data remains encrypted. 

Setting up a Google Account:

Some things to keep in mind when setting up your account. NLM recommends Google Accounts that are:

• Individual (not shared)
• that include individuals’ first and last names
• that use an existing work email address, not a new Gmail address
• and are based on a person’s email address rather than a generic library address - for example: FirstName.LastName@YourOganization.com, notlibrary-articles@YourOrganization.com 

Step one: Create your new Google account.

Go to the Google sign up page online.

Enter your first and last name.

Under "Username," select "Use my current email address instead" unless you are going to use a Gmail address.  Then enter the email address you wish to use for your DOCLINE login.

Now, supply a secure, memorable password. It must be 8 or more characters with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.

Verify your email address by entering the verification code sent to your email by Google.

GOOGLE WILL NEED A PHONE NUMBER TO CONTACT YOU WITH A VERIFICATION CODE. ENTER THE CODE ON THE NEXT SCREEN.

Accept Google's Privacy and Terms.

Step two: connect your new Google account to your DOCLINE library – or libraries.

Go to: Docline.gov and click on the “don’t have an account? Apply Now!” button.

Complete the Contact Information part of the sign up - Enter your first and last name, the email address used in your Google account, and phone number where you can be reached. 

Then Answer the ‘Questions about Your Library

Finally, complete the ‘I’m not a robot’ ‘reCAPTCHA’ and click ‘sign up’.

 

Your information will be forwarded to the appropriate DOCLINE coordinator who will be in touch with you within 1 to 4 business days to complete your connection to DOCLINE.

 

With that, you’ve done your part in helping to make our system safer and more secure, so we can continue the important mission of sharing medical literature resources among everyone in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. 

 

If you have any questions, please contact us at custserv@nlm.nih.gov.

Last Reviewed: November 26, 2018