Using Permalinks
What Is a Permalink?
Permalinks are the easiest way to link to library resources in Canvas, course syllabi, reading lists, websites, and email. A permalink (also called a persistent link, permanent link, stable link, static link, or durable link) is a URL or web address that will consistently point to a specific library resource.
Follow our instructions for:
- Linking to Specific Formats — Best practices for using permalinks to link to library databases, books and videos, journals, and articles.
- Using Permalinks Provided by Specific Databases — How to use the permalinks in EBSCO, Gale, ProQuest, Kanopy, and O'Reilly databases to link directly to their resources.
Why Should I Use Permalinks?
- Reliability — URLs or links that appear in the address bar of your web browser when you search the library's databases are often temporary and will not link back to the original source when accessed later.
- Authentication — Licensing restrictions require the library to ensure that only current USF students, faculty and staff access our subscribed e-resources. To comply with this restriction, the library uses an identity and access management service called OpenAthens to authenticate users. The library's OpenAthens proxy prefix is added to many permalinks. After clicking on a permalink that includes the OpenAthens prefix you will be asked to login using your MyUSF username and password in order to access the resource.
- Copyright — Linking to licensed library resources in Canvas, syllabi, and course reading lists is copyright-compliant. Linking is recommended over posting digital copies of the full text of an article, a book chapter, or an image.
- Usage statistics — Each time a library resource is accessed, a use is counted. The librarians review usage statistics and consider usage when making decisions about maintaining database and ejournal subscriptions.
- Accessibility — Databases often offer better resolution, text-to-speech, and easy-to-read fonts. They also usually work better with screen readers than PDF documents.
Linking To Specific Formats
Follow our best practices for using permalinks to link to library databases, books and videos, journals, and articles.
The easiest way to obtain a permalink to a database is on the Databases A to Z page.
- Click the share icon to the right of each database.
- Copy the Database URL that appears in the pop-up box.
Each record in Ignacio: Library Catalog has its own permalink.
- Click the Permanent Link button in your selected record.
- The permalink for that record will appear in the browser address bar and you may copy and use that link.
Use Journal Finder to obtain perrmalinks for journals.
- Search for your journal (the Exact Match search option usually yields best results).
- If you want to link to a result list, copy the URL in your browser bar to save or share as a permalink.
- If you want to link to a specific publication, click View details to open the detailed record. Copy the URL in your browser bar to save or share as a permalink.
Alternatively, you can create a permalink to a publication detail record by shortening the URL and dropping additional parameters, following this pattern:
As an example:https://publications.ebsco.com/details/{kbid}?custid=s3818721&groupId=main&profileId=pfui
could be shortened tohttps://publications.ebsco.com/details/41824?alphamenufacet=&count=20&custId=s3818721&groupId=main&highlightTag=&includeFacets=true&offset=1&orderBy=relevance&profileId=pfui&resourceTypeOptionSelected=1%2C6%2C2&search=journal%20of%20nursing%20education&searchField=titlename&searchtype=exactmatch&subjectFacetSchemaFilter=library%20of%20congresshttps://publications.ebsco.com/details/41824?custID=s3818721&groupID=main&profileid=pfui
Use Fusion to link to articles. In the record you want to link to, select the Permalink link in the toolbar on the right. A permalink you can copy and paste into Canvas, a website, or email, will appear.
Not every article in the library's databases has a record in Fusion. For those articles, follow the directions on Athenizing Links.
Using Permalinks Provided by Specific Databases
Generate and copy permalinks in EBSCO, Gale, ProQuest, Kanopy, and O'Reilly databases to link directly to their resources. For all other databases, you will need to create permalinks by Athenizing Links.
In the record you want to link to, select the Permalink link in the toolbar on the right. A permalink you can copy and paste into Canvas, a website, or email, will appear.
Select Copy URL in the toolbar on the right. A permalink you can paste into Canvas, a website, or email, will appear. Alternatively, copy and use the URL in your browser.
Select Get Link. A permalink you can copy and paste into Canvas, a website, or email, will appear.
Select Share and copy the displayed link. You can also copy the URL in your browser. In both cases, be sure usfca is in the URL.
Alternatively, follow our instructions for linking to books and videos.
The URL in your browser bar serves as the permalink.
To access the ebook later, follow our instructions for accessing O'Reilly content.
