Linking to Library
Resources
Linda Slater
John W. Scott Health Sciences Library
linda.slater@ualberta.ca
780-492-7948
What will be covered?

Access technology behind library
electronic resources
• EZProxy

Demo of methods for linking to library
electronic resources
• Creating links to be sent via email, chat or to
•
•
add to LibGuides
DOIs, persistent links, OpenURLs
Link checking service; eReserve
Accessing Licensed Resources
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Licenses for library electronic resources
require that users be ‘authenticated’ before
they are permitted access to content.
Authentication occurs when:
•
•
Someone logs into a computer on the campus network
(office, AICT lab, library, wireless network).
Someone on an off-campus clicks on a link on the
library website that prompts for authentication and
logs in with their CCID.
Library E-Resources
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Online databases
•
•
Mostly licensed
Some freely available, e.g. PubMed, ERIC
Online journals
•
•
Mostly licensed
Growing number of Open Access journals
e-Books
•
Mostly licensed
Links to online documents, e.g. gov docs
•
Mostly freely available
EZProxy
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Prefixes are embedded into links on library
website.
If EZProxy detects that a link to a licensed
resource is being accessed from off-campus,
user will be prompted to login in with their
CCID.
Those providing links to licensed library
resources should add the EZProxy prefix to
URLs to facilitate authentication.
EZProxy Prefix
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http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url
=
Original URL:
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bi8006143
‘EZProxified’ URL:
http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url
=http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bi800614
3
Dynamic vs Static URLs
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Determine whether the access link is a
‘dynamic’ or ‘static’ URL.
‘Dynamic’ URLs are generated from a script or
from a search of the site’s database each time
a link is accessed. The URL will be different
each time and is usually quite long. Don’t use
a dynamic URL to send a link.
‘Static’ URLs remain constant unless manually
changed and are relatively short.
Dynamic Full-text Link
Static Full-text Link
Adding the EZProxy Prefix for
Journal article .pdfs
Resulting URL would be:
http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=http://pubs.acs.org/doi
/pdf/10.1021/bi8006143
Linking to Abstract or .pdf???
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Consider linking to the online abstract/citation
of the reference which contains links to full-text
rather than linking directly to the .pdf.
Necessary if full-text link is dynamic.
Preferable if there are alternative full-text
formats available for the user to choose from.
See
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/bi8006143
Still need to add the EZProxy prefix if linking to
the article abstract/citation.
Persistent Links in Aggregator
Databases, e.g. EBSCO, Ovid, etc.
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Users can link to full-text from article
records, e.g.
http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/lo
gin?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/logi
n.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=200997
3322&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehostlive&scope=site
EZProxy prefix not always included, e.g.
it isn’t in JSTOR. Add it, if it isn’t.
Instructions for Specific
Aggregators
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EBSCOHost:
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/databases_hel
p/faculty_ezproxy/ebsco/index.cfm
Proquest:
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/databases_hel
p/faculty_ezproxy/proquest/index.cfm
Journals@Ovid:
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/databases_hel
p/faculty_ezproxy/journals_ovid/index.cfm
Linking to Ovid Full-text
Ovid, cont.
Linking to Articles Using DOIs
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DOI = Digital Object Indicator
System for providing persistent URLs for
electronic literature.
Often provided with article full-text or in
database records.
Look-up service is available at:
http://www.crossref.org/guestquery/
Formula for Creating DOIs

Locate DOI, e.g. following DOI is provided:
doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2008.03.004

Remove ‘doi:’ and prefix with http://dx.doi.org/,
e.g. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2008.03.004

Add EZProxy prefix, e.g.
http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=h
ttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2008.03.004
DOIs and Aggregators
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If our only access to the full-text of a
journal is available via an aggregator,
the DOI for the full-text will not direct
user to U of A accessible full-text.
However, the DOI can still be used for
citation purposes:
E.g. Bong, M. (2009). Age-related differences in achievement
goal differentiation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(4):
879-896. doi:10.1037/a0015945
OpenURLs
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OpenURLs contain ‘metadata’
(information that describes a document)
and are intended to facilitate access to a
specific library’s resources through the
use of a ‘link resolver’, e.g. GetIt.
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenURL for
additional information about OpenURLs.
Creating OpenURLs
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Go to the GetIt Citation Linker at
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/getit/citatio
n/
Enter information about article, check the
View Open URL box.
Click on the GetIt button.
Generating OpenURL
Copy the OpenURL that is
created
NOTE: You do not need to add the EZProxy prefix to
OpenURLs as the link(s) on the resulting GetIt menu will
contain the prefix automatically.
A GetIt menu generated by an Open
URL
Tips for Using the GetIt Citation
Linker
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Enter only the name of the journal (or
ISSN), year of publication, volume, issue
and start page.
Use Exact Match or Starting With if
more than one title is found for the
journal title you entered.
If a journal title containing and is not
found, try substituting &, and vice versa.
Linking to eBooks via NEOS
Catalogue
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Easiest method is to link to the NEOS
catalogue record for the eBook.
Search the catalogue for the title and in the
Details display, click on Create Permanent
Link.
Copy the link that appears.
You do not need to add the EZProxy prefix as
this is built into the catalogue link.
Linking Directly to Books 24x7,
ebrary, and MyILibrary Titles
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After clicking on access link from
catalogue, copy resulting URL, e.g.
http://www.books24x7.com/marc.asp?b
ookid=25549.
Add EZProxy prefix, e.g.
http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/l
ogin?url=http://www.books24x7.com/m
arc.asp?bookid=25549
E-Book links in catalogue record
Linking Directly to NetLibrary
Titles
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After clicking on access link from catalogue,
click on the Full Metadata link for the title and
look for the Product ID.
Replace the XXXXXX in the following URL with
the Product ID:
http://www.netlibrary.com/summary.asp?id=XX
XXXX
Add the EZProxy prefix, e.g.
http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url
=http://www.netlibrary.com/summary.asp?id=2
14511
NetLibrary: Locating Product ID
Example: Books 24x7 Links
Linking to UA WorldCat Records
Linking to Freely Available Docs
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No need to add EZ Proxy prefix
Link to specific chapter or document
table of contents? Link directly to .pdf or
to description page?
E.g. Chap 20: Eating Disorders - Women’s Health
Surveillance Report
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/whsr-rssf/indexeng.php
Linking to Library Subject Pages
& LibGuides

Locate the appropriate subject page or
LibGuide on the library website and copy
the URL.

It is not necessary to add the EZProxy
prefix to these links as they are included,
as required, on all library website pages.
Linking to a Database ‘More
Info’ Page

Consider linking to the More Info page
for a database, particularly for those with
dynamic access links.
Linking to a Database ‘More
Info’ page, cont.
Linking Directly to Databases
Linking to a Database ‘Static’
URL

Copy the access link and add the
EZProxy prefix.
Linking to Search Strategies
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Available in EBSCOHost, PubMed and
UA WorldCat

Allows you to create search and send
link that will re-create search for the
user.
EBSCOHost Share Search
PubMed
PubMed, cont.
UA WorldCat
TinyURLs
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Use the TinyURL generator at
http://tinyurl.com/ to substitute TinyURLs for
lengthy URLs.
Particularly useful if you need to include a long
URL in a print reading list or in an email where
word wrapping sometimes cuts off long URLs.
If the EZProxy prefix needs to be included on a
URL, add it to the URL before entering it into
the TinyURL generator.
Very Important!!!
ALWAYS
check your links before you send
them to ensure that they work!
The Library Reading List Service
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See
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/reservereq
uest/readinglist/
Library staff will locate and create links
for electronic material for instructor
reading lists.
• Staff will include the EZProxy prefix as
appropriate when preparing the reading list.
The Library eReserve Service
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The Library staff will create an eReserve page
for courses. The page will provide links to
electronic material.
See
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/reserveroom/inst
ructorguidelines/index.cfm for more information
including criteria for what can be included.
See
http://ualberta.docutek.com/eres/coursepass.a
spx?cid=109 for a sample eReserve page.
More Info

Linking to Library Resources:
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/databases
_help/faculty_ezproxy/index.cfm

Reading List Service & eReserve:
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/reserveroo
m/instructorguidelines/index.cfm