What are permanent links?

Permanent links (also called persistent links, permalinks, or durable links) are web links that take users directly to the article being sought. Permanent links are important because most of the commercial databases create dynamic links when we perform searches, so simply copying and pasting the link from our browser results in a broken link.

Why go to the trouble of creating permanent links?

Animated Tutorials:

Creating permanent links:

• EBSCO / ProQuest (1100 x 700) PDF
• EBSCO / ProQuest Small (900 x 600)

Using a DOI and Link Resolver:

• DOI and Link Resolver (1100 x 700) PDF
• DOI and Link Resolver (900 x 600)

Finding an Article from a Citation

• Citation

One of the challenges of creating permanent links is the lack of consistency among database providers.

Below are the major databases available throughTWU's Alloway Library. Click on the image to go to a page explaining how best to link to articles from the database.

Note:

1. Several database vendors provide permanent links: EBSCOhost (called "persistent links" or "permalinks"), ProQuest (called "durable" links), and JSTOR (called "stable URLs." Note that you need to add EZproxy information to the JSTOR links so they'll work off campus).
2. Most other database vendors provide only a DOI (Digital Object Identifier -- a unique number applied to most recently published articles). Fortunately, the DOI, when used with a link that combines the library's proxy login information and a DOI resolver, provides access to articles. The process is described here.
3. However, for electronic articles with no DOI or those in print, there is no way of creating a link. In those cases, students will have to look up the article from the reference, using the method demonstrated in this tutorial.
4. Harvard Business Review does not permit the use of permanent links to any of its content.

   Harvard Business Review and Harvard Business Publishing Newsletter content on EBSCOhost is licensed for the private individual use of authorized EBSCOhost users. It is not intended for use as assigned course material in academic institutions nor as corporate learning or training materials in businesses. Academic licensees may not use this content in electronic reserves, electronic course packs, persistent linking from syllabi or by any other means of incorporating the content into course resources.

Database Vendor/Provider (Links to description of how to create permanent links)	Database Names (Links to database)
American Chemical Society -- Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI.	ACS Journals
Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI.	Annual Review of Applied Linguistics Annual Review of Clinical Psychology Annual Review of Psychology Annual Review of Sociology
Provides persistent links to full-text articles in EBSCO databases.	Academic Search Premier America: History & Life ATLA Religion Database with ATLA Serials Biomedical Reference Collection: Comprehensive Business Source Complete CINAHL with Full Text Communication & Mass Media Complete Consumer Health Complete   ERIC GreenFILE Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text MAS Ultra - School Edition MEDLINE with Full Text Military & Government Collection MLA International Bibliography  New Testament Abstracts Old Testament Abstracts Philosopher's Index Professional Development Collection PsycARTICLES PsycINFO Regional Business News RILM Abstracts of Music Literature SPORTDiscus with Full Text Teacher Reference Center
Use the TWU EZproxy link followed by JSTOR's Stable URL.	JSTOR
Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI. .	Evidence Based Medicine Reviews Gateway to Health Databases LWW Total Access Journal Collection MEDLINE
Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI.	Arts & Humanities Citation Index Science Citation Index Expanded Social Sciences Citation Index
Provides "durable" links.	ABI/Inform Dateline CBCA Education Hoover's Company Records Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts ProQuest Religion

Links to full text articles can be used as permanent links.	PubMed
Royal Society of Chemistry -- Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI.	RSC Journals
Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI.	Sage Journals Online
Elsevier -- Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI.	Science Direct
Use DOI and proxy/DOI resolver for articles that have a DOI.	Wiley InterScience (now Wiley Online Library)
Other ways of finding or linking to full-text articles.
See the linked flash tutorial, which explains a way of setting up a set of class readings from within RefWorks.	Access through TWU library homepage. Search using the article title in quotation marks. Will also search for articles by DOI.
Links to the DOI link resolver. The URL includes the TWU proxy information, so off-campus users will have to log in.

Cost savings

The cost of course packs can be a significant financial burden to TWU students. Furthermore, depending on the subject area, students may be paying for materials to which they already have free access through the library. One way of reducing the cost of course packs is to provide students with links to online, full-text articles available through databases subscribed to by the TWU Library.  

Avoiding Copyright Entanglements

While it is tempting to print the articles, e-mail them to students as PDFs, or provide a copy of the PDF on MyCourses, all of these solutions run afoul of copyright law. The legal way to provide students with access to online articles is to provide them with what is known as a permanent or persistent link that takes them directly to the article in question. The access process allows the database providers to  ensure that those accessing articles are indeed TWU students. 

Access Copyright (AC) Contract Issues

The current contract between Access Copyright (the copyright licensing body) and the AUCC (Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada) expired August 31, 2010. We are currently operating under an interim agreement, but need to have alternative strategies in place should it become impossible to create course packs.

Dynamic Links

These are links created by a database in response to a specific search. Once the user who made the search request navigates away from the database through which the search was made, the links expire. Attempting to use dynamic links to access an article from a database results in a broken link.

Proxy Server (EZProxy)

The library uses a proxy server called EZProxy to authenticate users who access our databases from off campus. Students, faculty, and staff are required to enter their password to confirm that they are members of the TWU community before they can connect to our paid databases. Links that go through the proxy server will have the following URL at the beginning of the link -- https://ezproxy.student.twu.ca/login?url=

If you have questions about any of these procedures, contact Duncan Dixon duncan.dixon@twu.ca he'll be happy to help you.