Embedding Links to Articles, Journals, Films, and Other Resources

Creating Persistent Links to Library Resources

In order for your students to access articles, journals, films, and other resources at the library, you need to share with them permanent links/persistent URLs to those resources.

To find a permanent link/persistent URL: On the article, journal, or film record, look for words such as "Embed URL", "Persistent URL", "Stable URL," "InfoMark," "Document URL," or "Permalink."

OneSearch item permalink is found within the Send To grouping of tools — An Example from OneSearch

Business Source Premier article permalink found in right column grouping of tools — An Example from a Business Subject Database "Business Source Premier"

Films on Demand Embed Link is found beneath the title of the video — An Example from a Streaming Video Database "Films on Demand"

Embedding a Persistent Link in Canvas

Once you have found or built a persistent URL you can paste the URL into a Canvas page or other document. In order for your students to access the link, it is better to load the link in a new tab since some URLs are not considered safe enough in Canvas.

Canvas embed link tool

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I just copy the address from the address bar to save a link to an article?

Web addresses, or URLs, that appear in the address bar of your web browser may contain session-based or search-based information that causes the URL not to work later. This is especially true of the URLs that appear when searching a database. This is why many online databases provide a separate persistent or stable link in each record for an article.

What is a persistent URL?

A persistent URL is a link that will remain stable over time and allows a user to access the linked document later.

How do I find persistent links in online databases?

Some research databases include a persistent or stable link in the article record. Please note that the terms used and the location of these links in the record vary from one database to another.

How do I know if a persistent URL will work when accessed from a computer outside the CSUN campus network?

In order for a link to an article to work on an off-campus computer, it must be "proxied." A proxied link contains special coding that will allow CSUN users to access the article, journal, etc. using their CSUN User ID and password. A proxied link always contains the term libproxy.

Want to embed other library resources to Canvas?

There are also additional guides on how to embed other library resources into Canvas.

Got a question or comment?

For library resources in Canvas, contact Yi Ding, Coordinator of Online Instruction, at yi.ding@csun.edu.

For Canvas technical support or training information, visit the Faculty Canvas Support page.