What are permalinks and why use them?

Commonly known as persistent or stable links, permalinks allow reliable access to library materials such as articles, ebooks, ejournals, or databases. Some permalinks are also institutionally specific to facilitate authentication.  Another form of persistent link - DOIs - are discussed in another FAQ.

Benefits of permalinks:  

• More dependable: Permalinks are more stable than session-specific URLs, such as those from library database searches, which can change.
• Institution specific: Institution specific links, such as OpenAthens links, save users the step of having to choose their institution from a list in order to login when off campus or using a VPN or cellular network for access. 
• Useful for sharing: These links are useful if you want to access the resource again, include it in syllabi, reading lists, or share it with others.

Please include as much information about the source you are linking to in the document or on your D2L site as possible (e.g. title, author of the source) - this will allow readers to still track down the source should the link break in future. 

 Creating Permalinks that use OpenAthens

There are a few approaches to creating OpenAthens permalinks that may work depending on the situation.

1. Permalinks to LibrarySearch record (simplest and safest approach)
2. Permalinks from vendor/database platforms
3. Building your own OpenAthens Permalinks 

1. Permalink to LibrarySearch records (simplest and safest approach):

Permalinks retrieved from LibrarySearch are the simplest way to link to content and ensure a consistent user experience - they route users to a library record where they will be able to locate an OpenAthens link. See more detailed instructions on locating permalinks in LibrarySearch. *Most library licensed materials can be located in LibrarySearch but in some cases content is only available via a vendor/database platform.

 

2. Retrieve permalinks from Databases/Vendor Platforms: 

• Built-in Options: Most database and vendor platforms provide permalinks as stable points of access.
• Avoid Direct URL Copy: Merely copying the URL directly from your browser may not result in a permanent link or activate an MRU login.

Screenshots in the following sections provide examples for creating effective permalinks on different vendor platforms.

 

AVON (Academic Video Online) Example

• Example AVON OpenAthens permalink to a video: https://video.alexanderstreet.com/p/36r9lP4Px
• Example link to a custom clip: https://video.alexanderstreet.com/p/46v98o1G1

AVON link and embed best practices

 

EBSCO Example

• Example EBSCO OpenAthens permalink to an article: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,sso&db=a9h&AN=162432051&site=ehost-live&custid=s4869460

• Using Persistent Links in EBSCO Interfaces [video 1:13 min]
• EBSCO Persistent link help

 

Gale Example

Link construction is different for each database, click on the "Get Link" button at the top right of the screen. Example for a link from Gale Primary Sources  https://link.gale.com/apps/archive/2XYQ/AHSI?u=mtroyalc&sid=bookmark-AHSI

 

 

 

Kanopy Example

• Example link to a specific resource: https://www.kanopy.com/en/mtroyal/video/542400

 

 

ProQuest Article Example

Look for the Copy URL icon

Example link to a resource in a ProQuest database:

https://www.proquest.com/criminaljusticeperiodicals/scholarly-journals/looking-beyond-primary-barriers-support-workers/docview/2909638831/sem-2?accountid=1343

 

 

Proquest Ebook Example

Example link to a specific ebook : https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/mtroyal-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5181829

 

 

 

3. Building your own OpenAthens Permalinks

The OpenAthens link generator tool can be used to add the required prefix to the URL that you wish to format - for example, marking a direct link to an article hosted on a publisher platform like ScienceDirect, Wiley Online, and Taylor & Francis Online. 

Copy the URL for the page. Open the OpenAthens Link Generator and paste the URL into the field provided. 

Example link for article from Taylor & Francis Online: https://go.openathens.net/redirector/mtroyal.ca?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tandfonline.com%2Fdoi%2Ffull%2F10.1080%2F87568225.2017.1299601

 

• Error messages. If you receive an error, your link may not be compatible. Try removing  the old MRU libproxy prefix and try again. If you continue to receive an error message, search for the resource in LibrarySearch and link from there (see above)

Uncertain formatting: If you're unsure whether your link is already formatted for OpenAthens, in most cases using the OpenAthens link generator to add the prefix won't hurt. The safer option, however, is to use the LibrarySearch option outlined above to obtain a persistent link instead.