---

What is a persistent link?

Persistent links, also called durable links, are internet addresses or URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) that remain consistent and do not change over time. For example, our library home page can always be reliably reached at http://www.lib.umassd.edu. It is a persistent or durable link and has a PURL (Persistent URL). However, a link to an article in one of the library’s databases could change each time you try to access it (unless you know how to reconfigure it), because databases often create their links at the moment you access them.

Why would you want to have a persistent link?

Having a persistent link to an item such as a full text article located within a database allows you to share the link to the article with the knowledge that the link will work later and not end up in a frustrating dead-end for the person(s) to whom you provided it.

Faculty might wish to provide a link to an article from within the WebCT learning management system or on a web page. They might also wish to provide the link to the library’s reserve department for placing on a course reading list. Others might just like to share the link in an email to a colleague. Remember, of course, that most library eResources and eJournals are limited to the UMD faculty, students and staff by licensing agreements and copyright guidelines.

How do I create a persistent link?

Persistent links for resources access via UMass Dartmouth Library collections consist of two parts. One is the address for the item desired and the other is a proxy script (http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=). The proxy script points the address to the library’s proxy server and allows a UMD community member to authenticate and use the resource from off-campus.

Here is a sample showing how you would put the proxy script in front of the URL address that you copied from your source. Note how long just the article PURL is, so make sure you copy the whole address when you first get it.

Address for article:
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=309&VInst=PROD&VName=
PQD&VType=PQD&sid=1&index=9&SrchMode=1&Fmt=3&did=000000025367338&clientId=1533

Add the library proxy script:
http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=309& VInst=PROD&VName=PQD&VType=PQD&sid=1&index=9&SrchMode=
1&Fmt=3&did=000000025367338&clientId=1533

After creating the PURLs, make sure:

• to test the link from on-campus to make sure it works
• to test the link from off-campus in order to ensure that students can access the link from home.
• your students have and know their username and password for their UMD eMail account, as this is how they will be authenticated to access the resources.

Where do I start and to what resources might I be able to create persistent links:

The library subscribes and/or licenses a wide variety of resources that are accessible via the internet with UMD authentication. Most links to articles will come from within one of the full-text databases the library offers. To find the list of these eResources go to http://www.lib.umassd.edu/find/articlesdb.html or simply choose eResources off the library’s home page http://www.lib.umassd.edu. Other links might be direct to journals available online. Find both the library’s paper and eJournals listed in our UMD Journal Locator which is to be found on the library home page or go to http://fx7cd9gx6d.search.serialssolutions.com/. If you already have a citation, try searching the UMD Journal locator to find an electronic version of the journal.

Purl Creation Instructions by eResource Vendor

ACM Digital Library
PURL Creation Intructions	The persistent links in the ACM Digital Library are called DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Bookmarks. Find the article in the ACM Digital Library. After selecting an article, look below the citation for the DOI Bookmark. Add the library proxy script to front of the DOI
Sample PURL	http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1017460.1017461
Britannica
PURL Creation Instruction	Find article. At top of article choose Cite Article. Here you will find various forms of citation formats for article each followed by URL for finding the article. Copy this URL and add proxy link script in front of it.
Sample PURL	http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=http://search.eb.com/eb/article?tocId=9069801
EBSCO
PURL Creation Intructions	Persistent links in EBSCO are labeled as "Persistent link to this record" and the persistent URL follows. Copy this "Persistent link to this record"URL and add proxy link script in front of it. NOTE: "Persistent link to this record" URLs are not displayed in the PDF form of an article.
Sample PURL	http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct= true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,uid&db=pdh&an=hop62208
GALE/Thompson (InfoTRAK)
PURL Creation Instruction	Persistent links in Gale databases are called InfoMarks. You can copy the URL from the browser’s navigation bar for any display that shows the InfoMark icon and it will be a persistent link. You can save persistent links to both the articles and for specific searches by copying the URL from the results page. Not all pages have InfoMarks. NOTE: Make sure you copy the entire URL as often they are very long.
Sample PURL	http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=http://web4.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/ 65/944/59029436w4/purl=rc1_EAIM_0_A125029013&dyn= 5!xrn_12_0_A125029013?sw_aep=mlin_s_umass
JSTOR
PURL Creation Instruction	Persistent links in JSTOR are called Stable URLs and each article lists the stable URL beneath the article citation. Find the article you need in JSTOR. At bottom of page choose menu item: CITATION/STABLE URL. On Article Citation page find: Stable URL and copy entire link from the right of the words Stable URL. Add the library proxy link script in front of it.
Sample PURL	http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici= 00664162%281980%2911%3C359%3AAPPATM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-0
ProQuest
PURL Creation Instruction	Persistent links in ProQuest are called Document URLs. Search and from the search results page selected the title link or the citation link of a full text article. At the bottom of the citation, look for the label Document URL. The link following it, is the persistent link. Copy the link and add the proxy link script in front of it. NOTE:Document URLs are not displayed in the PDF form of an article.
Sample PURL	http://libproxy.umassd.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb? RQT=309&VInst=PROD&VName= PQD&VType=PQD&sid=1&index= 0&SrchMode=1&Fmt=3&did=000000739646321&clientId=1533