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Linking Directly to Resources; Individual Articles and Records

This guide will explain persistent links in library resources and how to utilize them, such as in a D2L course page.

PURLS for Online Resources

1. Why can't I just copy the address from the address bar to save a link to an article?
Web addresses, or URLs (Uniform Resource Locator) that appear in the address bar of your web browser may contain session-based or search-based information that causes the URL to not work later. This is especially true of the URLs that appear when searching a database. This is why many online databases provide a separate perisistent or stable link in each record for an article.

2. What is a persistent Link?
A persistent link is a URL that will remain stable over time and allows a user to access the linked document later.

3. How do I find persistent links in online databases?
Some research databases include a persistent or durable link in the article record. Please note that the terms used and the location of these links in the record vary from one database to another. See the list at left for USD instructions.

4.How do I know if a persistent link will work from outside the USD campus network?
In order for a link to an article to work from outside the USD Libraries and campus network, it must contain special coding that will allow USD users to access the article using their USD email account login and password.

The Proxy Server

To access any USD subscribed articles or databases, users must be directed through the proxy server.  This is done by affixing the following URL as a prefix to any copied web address:

5. How can I use a persistent link?
Once you have a stable URL you can paste the URL into your LMS (D2L) or other documents.

There are many uses for persistent links in the classroom

  • Providing reading lists to students
  • Creating a list of personal publications
  • Saving links to specific searches in favorite databases
  • Providing students with links to preferred databases
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