Faculty Resources: Help With Off-Campus Links

Persistent links provide direct and reliable URLs to the library's online resources (articles, streaming videos, ebooks, etc.) that work from on campus or off campus. Many library databases provide persistent links, which might also be referred to as permanent links, permalinks, stable URLs, or share links.

For assistance with finding and using persistent links, please contact the Systems Librarian at zplantak@andrews.edu.

Many (but not all) persistent links already include the prefix which allows for off-campus access. However, some persistent links will need to be edited to add the off-campus access prefix.

There is an easy ways to tell if a persistent link allows off-campus access:

Check to see if the link includes this prefix: https://ezproxy.andrews.edu/login?URL= The lack of this code indicate that persistent link obtained from that resource needs to be edited to allow off-campus access. If the link needs to be edited, the Off-Campus Link Generator can be used to facilitate adding the prefix to a persistent link.

• Our databases are from many different companies and as a result aren't all set up in the same way. The location for the base URL to use to create a persistent link in one database may be completely different from the location in another. Some databases will refer to these base URLs as a "permalink," "stable URL," "persistent e-mail jumpstart," or other similar names. Some databases don't refer to them by name at all.

• Some databases automatically provide the complete persistent link (including proxy URL) along with other options for emailing, saving, etc. EBSCO databases like Academic Search Ultimate and CINAHL Complete do this and call the link a "Permalink" under the "Tools" sidebar of the result page (commonly used sign is ).

• Some databases such as Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints) will list the base URL in a "Get Link" box. This link may be copied and pasted, but be sure to check that the proxy URL appears and that it links properly.

• JSTOR lists the stable URL as a "Remote Access URL." 

• In SAGE Journals Online and Wiley Online Library, use the link in the downloaded article's address bar, making sure the proxy URL is added. ScienceDirect works best when the URL for the article's information page (not the downloaded article itself) is combined with the proxy URL.

• Some databases (usually medical or scientific) also offer DOI (digital object identifier) numbers. These may be tried, but we have found they don't always seem to link properly when joined with the proxy URL.   

• If you're having trouble, please don't hesitate to ask a librarian for more information.
   

Use the Off-Campus Link Generator to get stable and sharable links to items within library databases for adding to LearningHub or course syllabi.

Note: this link generator works by adding the off-campus prefix (https://ezproxy.andrews.edu/login?URL= ) to the beginning of the URL.

Enter/Paste desired URL/Permalink Click me to create and copy the Off-Campus link

Entering a desired URL/Permalink* (the link to which you want to add the proxy prefix) in the above box and pressing the "click me" button will join the university's proxy URL to that URL, creating a persistent link automatically.