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Creating Hyperlinks to Library Resources

Library resources like articles, ebooks, and databases are only accessible to OU students, faculty, and staff. You have to sign in to access them, and because of that copying the URL from your browser window will not always work for other users or on different computers.

To create hyperlinks that will work you will need to look for the permanent URL feature in the given library resource. Instructions for creating/finding stable/persistant/permanant URLs can be found on the various pages of this LibGuide. If there is a resource, not represented here that you would like more information about, please contact us and we can add it to the list.

DOI

A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a permalink that will always connect to a specific electronic resource. For example, if a publisher changes the journal website, the DOI for their articles will remain the same. A DOI should never result with a broken link. For more information about DOIs, you may visit https://doi.org.

Caution: It is possible that a DOI will connect to an article on the publisher's site but the full text will not be available via OU Libraries through that publisher. If you encounter a paywall while attempting to access an article with a DOI link, try searching the the article title or DOI in the Discover tab on the library's home page. This could help you determine if we have access to the article through a different resource.

Frequently Asked Linking Questions

You say copying the browser URL will not ALWAYS work. Are there cases where it will?

Yes. Some library resources like JSTOR, Ebook Central, and ProQuest have stable URLs that will work if copied directly from the browser window.

How can I test my URL to make sure it will work for other people?

The easiest way is to copy the URL into the private browsing or incognito mode of your web browser. You can also clear your cache and cookies and then try the URL.

What if I want to share a library resource with someone outside of OU?

Usually it is best to just provide a citation, and have the person look up the resource at their own library for access. If your sharing falls within U.S. Copyright and Fair Use laws you could download the article or chapter and send the person a copy.

Resources for Making Shorter Links