A persistent link, also known as a permalink, is a URL that links directly to a full-text article in a library database or electronic journal subscription.
Persistent links can be placed within Brightspace, course web sites, syllabi and readings lists. They allow students to access articles by linking to Memorial Library's electronic subscriptions. The directions in this guide ensure that students can access the link from on or off-campus. When students click on the link to the article or database, they will need to log in with their myRedDragon information.
Why do we recommend including a permalink in Brightspace rather than copying the whole article?
1) Copyright: Linking to an article is allowed under copyright laws, but uploading a full article to Brightspace without permission is not. This can result in fines for the department and SUNY Cortland. Read more about SUNY Cortland's Copyright Policies on the library website.
2) Funding: if you link to an article, the database keeps track of how often it's being used. The librarians use this information when making decisions about journal or database cuts. Let us know the journal is important to you!
Many databases have an option for creating a persistent link by copying and pasting the link into Brightspace. Sometimes it requires adding proxy information for off-campus access.
You can use ONESearch to generate the Permalink. This is the fastest and easiest way to create a persistent link.
Creating a persistent link to an article in a database differs dependent on the database. Refer to the database tabs in this guide for directions. When you create the persistent link, make sure it includes:
The persistent link looks like this:
In some cases the link provided does not include the proxy. You can add it in front of the article URL so your off-campus student can access it. Note: If you just copy the URL at the top of the screen and/or don't include proxy information, your off-campus students may not have access.
Always test your links from on-campus and off-campus.