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Heterick for Faculty and Staff

What is a Permalink?

A permalink is a web address that will consistently point to a specific information source such as an ebook, an article, a record in the catalog, a video, or a database. 

A permalink may also be referred to as a:

  • Bookmark URL
  • Document Link/URL
  • Link
  • Persistent Link/URL
  • Record URL
  • Stable Link/URL

Credit: K-State University Libraries

Why Use Permalinks?

We strongly recommend using permalinks instead of uploading articles, ebooks, etc. to Moodle or file sharing because permalinks ensure that you are not in violation of copyright law.

Permalinks allow the library to maintain accurate usage statistics, which ensures that we continue to purchase and renew the resources you need.

Permalinks are a reliable means of sharing search results, bookshelves, and specific resources such as articles and ebooks. Copying and pasting the URL from the address field of a library database web page will not usually take you back to that original page. Permalinks ensure that the link will take you back to that exact page within a database.

Credit: K-State University Libraries

Permalink in EBSCO Databases

The location of the permalink will vary from database to database, but in the EBSCO databases, you can find it in the right column.

screen shot of EBSCO database result with permalink option highlighted

Links need to include the ONU proxy address - http://onu.ohionet.org/login?url= at the beginning of the url in order to work off campus. All of our databases are already configured to include this except SEARCH. If using SEARCH, you can either select the off campus access link located under the search box on the library home page, or simply paste the proxy address to the beginning of the permalink provided the database.