{"id":18060,"date":"2026-06-11T13:14:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T17:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/?p=18060"},"modified":"2026-06-24T15:39:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T19:39:37","slug":"creating-persistent-links-for-hsls-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/creating-persistent-links-for-hsls-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Persistent Links for HSLS Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

For users to reliably access resources both on campus and remotely, well-formed library links are key. This article will showcase how to include links to HSLS resources in a syllabus, presentation, Canvas\/instructional site, or citation.<\/p>\n

What Are Durable URLs?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A durable link\/URL, permalink, or persistent link is a stable, direct link to a specific resource or document. Using durable links helps ensure that users can consistently access materials over time.<\/p>\n

Example: https:\/\/link.springer.com\/book\/10.1007\/978-1-0716-2441-8<\/a><\/p>\n

Non-durable links might consist of \u201ccanned\u201d results from a search query, may not be static, and may be temporary. One example would be a link resulting from a Google search:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=Gene+Therapy+of+Cancer+Methods+and+Protocols&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS909US910&oq=Gene+Therapy+of+Cancer+Methods+and+Protocols&aqs=chrome..69i57.607j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8<\/a><\/p>\n

A DOI<\/a> can also work as a durable link when HSLS subscribes to the resource. For example:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-1-0716-2441-8<\/a><\/p>\n

Links from PittCat<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The PittCat<\/a> library catalog allows users to link directly to resource access points. Linking to a catalog citation can be particularly helpful when directing users to print resources or a journal that has multiple access points.<\/p>\n

\"ATo link to an item in PittCat, select the permalink icon under the \u201cSend To\u201d options.<\/p>\n

Example of a PittCat link: https:\/\/pitt.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/permalink\/01PITT_INST\/vl5dkg\/alma99101220123806236<\/a><\/p>\n

Links from HSLS Resource Pages<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When linking to a database<\/a>, journal<\/a>, or e-book<\/a>, users can copy the properly formatted URL directly from the HSLS website\u2019s resources pages<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To do this, right-click or long-press (on mobile devices) the resource link and select \u201cCopy link address\u201d or \u201cCopy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Free vs. Paid Access<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some HSLS resources are freely available without a log-in, while others require IP-authentication because they are something HSLS pays to subscribe to.<\/p>\n

For example, AAS Open Research<\/em> is labeled \u201cFree access,\u201d indicating free availability. Abdominal Imaging<\/em> includes a note stating access is limited to users with Pitt and UPMC credentials:<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot
Examples of free vs. limited access to resources.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Access notes are also displayed in PittCat records. For example, Nature<\/em>\u2019s note indicates the journal is subscription access, provided only to Pitt and UPMC users:<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot
Example of a resource with access notes in PittCat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

EZproxy Links<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Subscription-based resources require an EZproxy link prefix (https:\/\/pitt.idm.oclc.org\/login?url=) so remote users can access the content and have their IP address be recognized as Pitt-affiliated.<\/p>\n

This link routes users through a proxy server to access the e-book, Gene Therapy of Cancer:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/pitt.idm.oclc.org\/login?url=https:\/\/link.springer.com\/book\/10.1007\/978-1-0716-2441-8<\/a><\/p>\n

The EZproxy prefix can also be used with a DOI, if Pitt subscribes to the content:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/pitt.idm.oclc.org\/login?url=https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-1-0716-2441-8<\/a><\/p>\n

Links copied directly from the HSLS website already include the EZproxy prefix. Please note that free resources don\u2019t require the EZproxy prefix and may not function correctly if added.<\/p>\n

Test Links <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Finally, always test any links being distributed to confirm they work properly. It can help to replicate user experience by testing links off campus or using a browser where you are not already logged into Pitt Passport.<\/p>\n

If you have any questions or difficulty linking to an HSLS resource, please\u00a0contact HSLS Ask a Librarian<\/a>.<\/p>\n

~Ann Passmore<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For users to reliably access resources both on campus and remotely, well-formed library links are key. This article will showcase how to include links to HSLS resources in a syllabus, presentation, Canvas\/instructional site, or citation. What Are Durable URLs? A durable link\/URL, permalink, or persistent link is a stable, direct link to a specific resource […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"issue-archives","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[242],"tags":[-1],"class_list":["post-18060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-july-2026","avhec_catgroup-issue-archives"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18060","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18060"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18060\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18099,"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18060\/revisions\/18099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/info.hsls.pitt.edu\/updatereport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}