E-resources at Mac
Using e-resources in teaching
Resources offered by the library can be used for teaching purposes. In some cases, the storing of the material in PDF or another format is prohibited in the terms and conditions of the resource. For this reason, we recommend instead providing links to library materials in Moodle.
You can add links to resources in Moodle using the following steps:
- Log in to Moodle. Open the course and turn editing on.
- Click Add an activity or resource. Choose URL and Add.
- Type a name for the resource.
- Add the URL to External URL box.
- Choose New window under Appearance.
- Save.
General linking guidelines
Permalinks
A permalink is a permanent URL that will remain stable over time. It is sometimes also called a persistent, stable or durable URL.
Often, the URL you see in the address bar when using a library e-resource contains temporary session information. When that session expires, the URL will no longer work. Permalinks allow you to save and use links to library content later.
Most library platforms have a tool to save and share links, but the language they use varies. The tool might be called Permalink, Share, Document URL, Stable URL, or Get Link.
Authentication
If you want to save a link to a licensed library resource, it should also have some means of authenticating whoever uses the link. If it doesn't, on campus users will be able to access the content, but off-campus users may encounter a paywall or error message if the content is licensed to Macalester and not freely available online. In order to ensure proper access to the content, the link should prompt the user to sign in with their Macalester credentials.
The majority of licensed e-resources at Macalester are authenticated through a service called OpenAthens. Content providers will often automatically add the OpenAthens prefix when you use their tools to generate a permalink. If your link does not contain this prefix, you can add it yourself by using the OpenAthens Link Generator. This tool both adds the prefix to the link and also encodes it to ensure it resolves correctly.
As an example, here are two links to an article from JSTOR. The first is the permalink, which is pulled from the article page in JSTOR. The second is the same permalink after it was entered into the OpenAthens Link Generator.
Original link:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2932556
Proxied link:
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/macalester.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F2932556
How to link to e-resources
If you have a DOI or PMID for an article, you can quickly look up our access to it using LibKey.io. The LibKey.io URL is also a permalink that you can share. Off-campus users will be prompted to log in if needed, so the link doesn't need our OpenAthens prefix.
From an item record in Discovery, click the share icon at the top of the record:
From the A-Z Databases page, click the "share" icon to the right of the description:
Tips for linking to content in specific databases
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1. Locate the Stable URL underneath the title of the content. 2. Plug this URL into the OpenAthens Link Generator. |
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Linking to an article or ebook:
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You'll find the Permalink icon in the menu on the right side of the record. |
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Linking to a journal:
| 1. Search for the journal using the Publications link in the top menu. |  |
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2. Click on the title of the journal. You'll get to the publication details. 3. Choose Share on the right. Click on the URL under Use Permalink. Highlight and copy the URL. |
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Use the Get Link icon on the top menu. |
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1. Copy the article's DOI, which is located near the title, and paste it into LibKey.io to get a permalink to the article.
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1. Click the Share button on the right side of the book or chapter page. The stable URL will be displayed in the center of the screen. 2. Plug this URL into the OpenAthens Link Generator. |
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