PERSISTENT URLS What? Why?? And How??? Ann Barrett Health Sciences Librarian September 1, 2011 Dal Libraries UnZipped Lightning Information Sessions for.

PERSISTENT URLSWhat? Why?? And How???

Ann BarrettHealth Sciences LibrarianSeptember 1, 2011

Dal Libraries UnZippedLightning Information Sessions for Faculty & Researchers

Ever sent (or posted) a URL to students or colleagues that just wouldn’t work?

• The URL is probably not ‘persistent’, or ‘durable’

WHAT are persistent URLs?• A "persistent link" or a "durable URL" is a link that does

not expire or change over time.

• Persistent links are often used to link to academic articles, search results, or e-books.

• Frequently needed with subscription based resources.

WHY use persistent URLs?• Eliminate the “This link doesn’t work!” syndrome

• Allows you to create URLs that work ON and OFF campus

• Helps you work within fair dealing guidelines

• Keeps you within the license agreement between Dalhousie and the publisher/vendor

• These links should work from year to year in your OWL or course space

HOW to make them? – there are 2 ways

Method 1: from a Dalhousie Libraries database

Any of the Dalhousie Libraries databases offer either

(or both):• A “Permalink” feature to create persistent URLs

• GetIt@Dal button that has a persistent link feature

Online Tutorials:Persistent URLs: What are they? http://libcasts.library.dal.ca/Journals/URL/One/URL1.htmlPersistent URLs: How to make them. http://libcasts.library.dal.ca/Journals/URL/Two/URL2.html

Method 1: Creating persistent URLs

•from Dalhousie databases like…• Proquest• Ebsco • WorldCat Local • Pubmed

EBSCO

PROQUEST

PUBMED

World

Cat

Loca

l

Method 2: Creating persistent URLs

•from Dalhousie Libraries eJournals lookup Citation Linker… http://sfxhosted.exlibrisgroup.com/dal/az

Online Tutorials:Persistent URLs: What are they? http://libcasts.library.dal.ca/Journals/URL/One/URL1.htmlPersistent URLs: How to make them. http://libcasts.library.dal.ca/Journals/URL/Two/URL2.html

The problem of long URLs…

Tiny URL http://tinyurl.com/

• can take this…

• and make it into this.

http://aleph1.novanet.ns.ca/F/JGT5UADJTKU4A1FH8K15TTKQAABI7TL4VTVBEV1B1JRDUAF9R4-54086?func=full-set-set&set_number=007098&set_entry=000029&format=999

http://tinyurl.com/3ffknav

That’s it in a nutshell. Any questions?

Dal Libraries UnZippedLightning Information Sessions for Faculty & Researchers