Library Databases template: Linking to database materials

If you need help, email library@aacc.edu or call the Reference Desk at 410-777-2456.

Steps 

1. Get the permanent link to the article, video, image, sound file, etc. by following these steps:

a.  Go to www.aacc.edu/library/ and go into the library databases.   Pull up the article you need. 

b.  Get the persistent link by using one of these links on the page:

• Find a link on the page labeled: Bookmark, persistent URL, copy link, “view static URLs” etc.  Use this feature to get the persistent link, and go to number 2 below.
• Email the article: Email a link to yourself, and go to step 2 below.
• Cite an article: Click this option.  The permanent link to the article may be included in the citation.
• If you don't see any of the options above, copying the URL as it appears MIGHT work.  You can send the URL and the article citation to library@aacc.edu to have it double-checked. 

c.  Take the URL found above and paste it into your document or web page.

2.  Insert the ezproxy “prefix” below at the beginning of the URL, to enable access via library barcode for off campus users: 

https://login.ezproxy.aacc.edu/login?url=

(See the "Examples" section below for examples of permalinks before and after.)

• NOTE #1: If you create these links within MyAACC or ANGEL, please set the link so it opens in a new tab or window.  Otherwise these links may not work from off campus.
• NOTE #2: If you do this in Word, you may end up with the prefix part being in black text and the old link being an unchanged blue hyperlink.  If this happens, you can click in your document right after the end of the link, backspace once to break the link (watch to see if the last character disappears from the link; if so, you'll need to type it back in), then hit space again to fix the link.  Now the whole thing  should look like a blue hyperlink.  If you mouse over it, you should see the whole altered URL there in the little popup box that tells you where the URL goes, rather than just part of it.

3.  Check the link from an off-campus computer to be sure it works!  Contact the library at library@aacc.edu if you have any questions.  We can also double-check your links for you. 

Basic, unchanged permalink (on-campus use only):  http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=85677450&site=ehost-live

Link edited for off-campus access:  https://login.ezproxy.aacc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=85677450&site=ehost-live

Incorrect link: https://login.ezproxy.aacc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=85677450&site=ehost-live

See Note #2 under Step 2 in the section above for information on how to fix the incorrect link example.

The problem:  URLs in the library’s article databases are almost always rewritten when you click on them.   You might be able to copy and paste a URL and use it immediately, but an hour later the link will probably stop working.  

The solution is a two-step process: 

1. Find the permanent link to the article.  By default, this link will only be usable from on-campus. 
2. Modify the link so AACC students and faculty can get to the resource from off-campus. 

If you need help, email library@aacc.edu or call the Reference Desk at 410-777-2456.