Linking to Library Online Resources  

Licenses for most library online resources require that users be 'authenticated' before they are permitted access to content. Authentication occurs when:

• Someone logs onto a computer on the campus network, e.g. office, AICT lab, library computer, wireless network

• Those off-campus click on a link to a library licensed resource from the U of Alberta Library website and enter their CCID at the prompt.

Authentication does NOT occur when students and instructors login to eClass (WebCT/Vista, Moodle, etc.)

What is EZProxy?
The University of Alberta Libraries uses a program called EZProxy to facilitate authentication.

• EZProxy prefixes are embedded into links to licensed resources that appear on the Library website.

• If EZProxy detects that someone is accessing a resource from off-campus, the user will be prompted to authenticate by entering their CCID and password.

• Those providing links to licensed resources should ensure that the EZProxy prefix is included in URLs that they add to eClass, to a course website or that they email to students/colleagues.

• The EZProxy prefix is:  http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=

For example:
Original URL:  http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bi8006143
With EZproxy prefix:  http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bi8006143

Some library resources are freely available, e.g. the NEOS Libraries Catalogue, any Open Access journal, most items in ERA.  Links to these resources do not require the EZProxy prefix.

When embedding the EZProxy prefix in a URL, often only the second half of the URL appears as an active hyperlink.  If that occurs, use the tip sheet; it provides instruction on how to fix this problem.

Depending on the policy of the journal that is publishing your article, you may be able to upload your article to ERA, the UAlberta Education & Research Archive, and provide an open access copy that you can share with colleagues across insitutions, and that is findable in search tools such as Google.
More info on: ERA

There are multiple ways to create permanent links to library resources, depending on what you need, what your students need, or the type of the resource.

0. Have your students use the Library's resources and search tools to find citations themselves!

1. Let the Library do it for you: send in your reading list, and library staff will create permanent links for all items and send it back

• Reading List Service
• eReserve
• For more information about this mediated service go the Let the Library do it tab on this guide

2. Create permanent links the easy way: use the Get It Citation Linker

• Citation Linker page, Get It Article Finder
• For more information go to the Use "Get It!" to Link to Articles tab on this guide

3. To share a folder of articles with students or colleagues use RefWorks Shared folders

• For more information about how to do this: Use Refworks for Linking

4. Link directly to individual articles: learn how to link using DOIs, database tools, and more

• See the Link Directly to Articles tab on this guide For further explanation and tips sheets on:
• Using DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
• Using database interface tools
• When to use the URL in the browser location bar

5. Link to eBooks

• See the Linking to eBooks tab on this page for more information on:
• Creating a permanent link in the Library Catalogue
• Creating a permanent link directly to an eBook

6. Linking to Databases, Library Guides, and more

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This site was created to assist Faculty and instructors who wish to provide links to library licensed online resources to their students.  The general principles that govern access to our resources are the following:

While it is not permissable (unless permission has been secured from the publisher) to download materials from our licensed online resources and post them on course websites or eClass modules, our licenses do permit linking to full-text of the online resources we make available. 

Licenses for most library online resources require that users be 'authenticated' before they are permitted access to content.