Linking to articles in databases can be tricky, since just copying and pasting the web address doesn't always work. You will generally need to do 3 things to successfully link to articles so your students can use them.
1. Find the Permalink. When you search for an item in a database, the URL at the top of the browser often includes a long string of unintelligible letters and numbers which usually breaks as soon as you close the window. Instead, look for the permalink, which is a stable, shorter link that does not change.
2. Include the EZProxy URL prefix. As part of our agreement with databases to ensure that only current students and staff have access to articles when off-campus, the library must route its database and eBook access through a proxy service. To do this on an individual level with articles, every URL must also include the EZProxy prefix. While some databases automatically attach this prefix to their permalinks, others do not. In these cases, you will have to add the prefix to the beginning of each URL manually. See the section on Linking to Database Articles for instructions on individual databases. Cerro Coso's EZProxy URL prefix is https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=.
3. Include Other Citation Information. The internet is a rapidly changing thing, and URLs are constantly breaking despite our best efforts. Include other citation information with the link, such as the title, author, and the database, so students can find the article independently if the link breaks.
Note: When logging into Cerro Coso Library databases, you will need to include your full college email address and password.
You can link directly to any item in the library catalog (also known as Primo) very easily!
This link only goes to the catalog record. Students will still need to click the database link(s) listed under "View Online" near the top to access the item.
To link to an article in Britannica Academic, you will need to do several things.
For example, https://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/William-Shakespeare/109536 should become https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/William-Shakespeare/109536.
To link to an article in CountryWatch, highlight and copy the URL at the top of your browser. A direct link may not require an EZProxy login, but students will be unable to click on other links and view those pages.
In order to have students view multiple pages or explore the database, direct them to the general CountryWatch database link: https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://www.countrywatch.com/ip/default.aspx.
Getting the links for articles and eBooks in EBSCO databases is fairly easy.
You can copy this permalink into Canvas as is. The EZProxy URL prefix is already incorporated, so you do not need to add it manually.
Along with the majority of Cerro Coso's ebook collection, EBSCO databases also include:
To link to an article in Child Care Exchange's Ed.flicks database, you will need to do two things.
For example, https://www.exchangepress.com/catalog/product/behavior-and-cues/7711014/ should become https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.exchangepress.com/catalog/product/behavior-and-cues/7711014/.
Note: Using embed links from the Films on Demand website may cause issues for students accessing resources off-campus. We recommend using the Canvas LTI technique below instead.
When you create a course or discussion post in Canvas, you have a Rich Content Editor box that contains a tool tray. Under the PlugIn icon, click View All to see a menu where you will find Films on Demand. Search the database for the film or clip you want, then click "Embed" and select a size. This pastes the embed code straight into your Canvas page. Once you have used Films on Demand, a quick link will appear on the plugin menu.
Note: Using embed links from the Gale databases may cause issues for students accessing resources off-campus. We recommend using the Canvas LTI technique below instead.
When you create a course or discussion post in Canvas, you have a Rich Content Editor box that contains a tool tray. Under the PlugIn icon, click View All to see a menu where you will find the Gale resources. Search the database for the article you want, then click "Link to Document" or "Embed Document." The first creates a link with the title, while the second embeds the article and its various database options right in the page.
If you are unable to use the LTI, you can grab a link to an article from Gale databases, but you will need to do several things.
For example, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3427400758/GVRL?u=cclc_cerroccc&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=82bec28d should become https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3427400758/GVRL?u=cclc_cerroccc&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=82bec28d.
To link to a JSTOR article, you will need to do several things.
You can copy this permalink into Canvas as is. The EZProxy URL prefix is already incorporated, so you do not need to add it manually.
Although many JSTOR articles are freely available to read online, going through the library allows users to download articles and access a larger collection.
To link to an article in Nexis Uni, you will need to do several things.
For example, https://advance.lexis.com/api/permalink/44eaa71d-284b-45cf-830b-172607082b96/?context=1516831 should become https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://advance.lexis.com/api/permalink/44eaa71d-284b-45cf-830b-172607082b96/?context=1516831.
To link to an article in the Oxford English Dictionary, all you need to do is copy the link at the top and add the Cerro Coso Proxy URL prefix (https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=) to the front of the URL.
Alternatively,
The DOI and the URL will go to the same item.
For example, https://www.oed.com/dictionary/shakespeare_n should become https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/shakespeare_n.
When linking to an article URL, you will need to make sure the Cerro Coso's EZProxy prefix is present. This routes the article through the Cerro Coso library, where students can log in with their college email and password and access the article.
The prefix to be added to the beginning of the URL is:
https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=
For example:
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3427400758/GVRL?u=cclc_cerroccc&sid=GVRL&xid=40a63a55
becomes
Does the EZProxy prefix appear at the beginning of your article's URL? If not, you will need to add it manually in front of your article's URL: <https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url=>. This should route the article through the Cerro Coso Library's subscription and you should be able to sign in with your college email and password.
That would be nice! Unfortunately, each database belongs to a third party company that gets to decide how its articles are displayed and shared. The platforms that host these articles don't always include features that make it easy for us to link to them.
Are you copying the stable permalink provided by the database? If you are copying the URL from the top of your browser that features a long string of random numbers and letters, you might be using the URL that is unique to this particular session only, which stops working as soon as you close the browser.
Databases also sometimes remove articles or change their own URLs. Search for the title in the database or catalog to see if it comes up again and use the new permalink.
This is our old EZProxy prefix! To make a long story short, we have migrated from our own district server to a server hosted by OCLC. The old prefix is obsolete as of 12/31/2023. You can either just change this URL prefix to https://cerrocoso.idm.oclc.org/login?url= or follow the steps for each database above!
If you have further questions or problems, please contact the library staff.
