The Library web page is an important starting place for research on all topics for two reasons: authentication and curation.
cu·ra·tion (kyəˈrāSHən) noun - the selection, organization, and presentation of online content, information, etc., typically using professional or expert knowledge
au·then·ti·ca·tion (ôˌTHen(t)iˈkāSH(ə)n) noun - in computing, the process or action of verifying the identity of a user or process.
Memorial Library subscribes to tens of thousands of online journals, books, films and musical performances. In particular, peer reviewed journals and scholarly books are seldom freely available on the internet – to reliably gain access to this content the publisher/provider must recognize that you are entitled to do so.
If you are on campus, many – but not all - providers will recognize you as an authenticated user because you are accessing the content from a device connected via the Berry network. But for some important resources – Science and the Journal of the American Medical Association for example – you must use a specially formatted link in order for the provider to recognize you. And if you are off campus, or on campus using your cell service, using the authenticated link is even more critical.