Stable Links 

A stable link is a web address that consistently points to a specific e-resources such as an ebook, an article, a video, a record in OneSearch, or a database. A stable link may also be called a permalink, document URL,or persistent URL. DOIs (digital object identifiers) found in many databases can also serve as stable links.

Remote Authentication

When adding links to library resources to your course site it is critical to include information that will trigger remote authentication.  We use a system called EZProxy.  Below is information about how to ensure the EZProxy authentication is triggered by resource URLs you add to your course site.

Creating Stable Links with Authentication for Library e-Resources.

OneSearch

Records for e-resources in OneSearch all have permalinks.  Permalinks will take students to the item record in OneSearch: there they can link out to the item and remote authentication will automatically engage if they are off campus.  

While permalinks to OneSearch require an extra click to get to the item itself, there are two potential advantages of using OneSearch permalinks: 1. some electronic items appear in multiple databases and the OneSearch full record reflects those options (especially helpful if one or another resource is temporarily unavailable), and 2. if database links change, they'll be automatically updated in OneSearch.

E-Resources in Databases

Many times it is possible to link directly to one of our resources; most of our databases include stable link in the item record, though the term used and the location of the link will vary.  To ensure off-campus access to these links it is important that when you place links in your online course that links include the EZProxy information which will trigger authentication for Brooklyn College users.

• Locate the database-provided permalink.
  • It may be the URL that appears in the address bar of the browser to link back to the article or may appear in the full record.
• In most databases the stable URL ALREADY INCLUDES THE EZPROXY REMOTE AUTHENTICATION TRIGGER, and you can use it as is.  It will look something like this: https://journals-sagepub-com.brooklyn.ezproxy.cuny.edu/doi/full/10.1177/0308518X16674723
• In other databases you will need to add this URL prefix https://brooklyn.ezproxy.cuny.edu/login?url= to ensure off campus authentication is triggered. For example, https://brooklyn.ezproxy.cuny.edu/login?url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/annual-message-the-congress-the-state-the-union-28
• If there is no permalink in a database, consider using the permalink in OneSearch.  

Questions? Ask a reference librarian! However, if you have a subject-specific question, it would be best to ask a subject specialist.

Linking e-Resources Directly from Your Blackboard Course Site.

Be sure to tell your students that they will be required to authenticate with the Library's EZProxy server to link to licensed resources from off campus. The instructions for remote access to Library resources is at https://libguides.brooklyn.cuny.edu/accounts/remoteaccess. Students can also find remote access instructions under the Library tab in Blackboard.

1. Go to the Blackboard course site to which you will link the electronic source
2. Click the Control Panel
3. Choose any of the following links from the Content Areas panel
4. Course Information
5. Course Documents
6. External Links
7. Select the External Links option on the Add bar at the top of the page
8. Enter a title for the link in the Name field
9. Type (or paste) the URL (the web address) in the URL field. Be sure to include the http:// at the beginning
10. Enter a set of descriptive words or sentences in the Text box, including complete bibliographic information about the article (i.e. author, title of article, journal title, volume, issue, pages, date)
11. Click the Submit button
12. Press OK to approve your action
13. Uploading Scanned Documents to Blackboard
    1. Logon to Blackboard
    2. Go to the course site to which you will post the reading material
    3. Click the Control Panel
    4. Choose Course Information in the Content Areas box
    5. Click the Item button on the Add bar
    6. Enter the name of your document
    7. Scroll down to Section 2
    8. Click the Browse button to find the reading material (document)
    9. Select the document
    10. Click the Submit button
    11. Click OK in the package receipt

Library Circulation Desk

• Email: CircDesk@brooklyn.cuny.edu
• Phone: 718-951-5328