When to use
- Researching behind paywalls for journalism
- Accessing academic papers without institutional subscription
- Finding open access alternatives to paywalled content
- Bypassing geographic restrictions for research purposes
- Contacting authors directly for paper requests
What's included
Open access tools
Unpaywall API integration (20M+ papers), CORE API (295M papers), Semantic Scholar API (214M papers) with code examples.
Library database access
PressReader, ProQuest, JSTOR, and Nexis access methods. Interlibrary loan (ILL) request templates.
Browser reader mode
Bookmarklet for soft paywall bypass, reader mode activation by browser (Safari, Firefox, Edge, Chrome).
Archive-based access
Wayback Machine and Archive.today integration for historical access to paywalled content.
Author contact
Professional email template for requesting papers directly from authors. 70-90% success rate.
Legal framework
Fair use considerations (US), ethical guidelines, and the access hierarchy from fully legal to not recommended.
Access hierarchy
Library databases and open access
PressReader, ProQuest, JSTOR, Unpaywall, CORE, PubMed Central, author contact, interlibrary loan.
Browser features
Reader Mode (Safari, Firefox, Edge), Wayback Machine archives, Google Scholar "All versions".
Use with caution
Archive.is for individual articles, disable JavaScript, VPNs for geo-blocked content.
Avoid these methods
Credential sharing, systematic scraping, commercial use of bypassed content.
Reader mode by browser
| Browser | How to activate |
|---|---|
| Safari | Click Reader icon in URL bar |
| Firefox | Click Reader View icon (or F9) |
| Edge | Click Immersive Reader icon |
| Chrome | Requires flag: chrome://flags/#enable-reader-mode |
Installation
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jamditis/claude-skills-journalism.git
# Copy the skill to your Claude config
cp -r claude-skills-journalism/content-access ~/.claude/skills/
Or download just this skill from the GitHub repository.
Related skills
Access research ethically
Open access tools, library databases, and legal strategies for journalists and researchers.
View on GitHub