Eden Murray-Black (EMurray-Black@nwpolytech.ca) will be happy to help you create Perma-links for your learning commons resource material. Each vendor has a slightly different process. Included in this guide is the process for EBSCO databases as those are the most commonly used.
What is a permalink?
A permalink is a persistent or constant link to a resource. It is a convenient way to share a link to a resource.
Can't I just copy the link from my browser?
Most Learning Commons resources are from vendors who use dynamic links through scripts to access items in their resources. This means the URL can change and will not be constant. In addition, the proxy to gain access to Learning Commons resources may not be included in the URL shown in the browser, and then you may be unable to access full text from the link later.
What is the Learning Commons' proxy?
The proxy server allows a user to authenticate themselves as an NWP user in order to access a resource. This is especially important off-campus. While on-campus, you may be recognized by the IP used at the computer, but off-campus (or using wireless), you will need to go through a proxy server and enter your NWP credentials. This will then process you through the correct IP to access proprietary resources.
Can I just email a PDF of an article or book/chapter?
You may be in violation of copyright by doing so. In order to adhere properly to copyright laws, you should use a permalink instead.
What if it is Open Access?
When an article is Open Access, go directly to the publisher’s website and locate the article. Then copy the URL from the browser or from the article’s share feature (where available). Sometimes you may directly post a PDF for something that is Open Access. This is going to depend on that specific publisher’s terms and if the article has a creative commons license. Check the publisher's website for this information, or contact them for permission. Otherwise, just use the link to the HTML version to be safe.
Attribution
This resource is adapted for NWP from material provided by Logan University (http://libguides.logan.edu/tutorials/links).
