The following guide explains the options for creating HTML code or URL links to direct users to eLIbrary content from external web pages. This can be in the form of the GoFindIt application (which allows searching for eJournals, eBooks, etc.) or of links directly to specific resources within eLibrary or FindIt@Bham.
The instructions and examples assume a general level of familiarity with both eLibrary and web-page authoring but no programming language experience is needed.
Edward Craft
July 2009.
a) | Insert <iframe width="100%" frameborder="no" height="200"
src="https://diglib1.bham.ac.uk/linker/">dummyText</iframe> to
the Front Page document that you want it to appear in, using the Code /
HTML view. Add the document to WebCT in the normal way.
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b) | To make the applet appear on a Home or Organiser page in WebCT go to
the WebCT Build Tab, click on the Page Options drop down menu. Select
either Edit Header or Edit Footer depending on if you want the applet to
appear at the top or the bottom of the page. Then add the following code
to the HTML box and save:
<iframe width="100%" frameborder="no" height="200" src="https://diglib1.bham.ac.uk/linker/">dummyText</iframe>
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c) | When in the WebCT Build Tab, click on the Add File drop down menu and
select Create File. Give the file a Title e.g. Go Find It!. In the Content
box type:
<iframe width="100%" frameborder="no" height="200" src="https://diglib1.bham.ac.uk/linker/">dummyText</iframe> Ensure that the HTML box is ticked and save the file.
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If the URL of the calling page starts with "http://" insert -
<iframe width="100%" frameborder="no" height="200" src="http://elibrary.bham.ac.uk/linker/">dummyText</iframe>If the calling page URL starts with "https://" insert
<iframe width="100%" frameborder="no" height="200" src="https://diglib1.bham.ac.uk/linker/">dummyText</iframe>This will put a link to the application into an existing web page. Using the wrong link of the ones above will cause a warning box about 'nonsecure content' to appear.
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The linker will always take the student to a Services Menu which will give the student the option of which database they want to access the article via. This has the advantage of the link not going out of date due to the journal moving from one database to another. Due to the fact that different databases work in different ways technically, you may find that some of the links take the student directly to the full text whilst others only take you to the entry for the whole of that journal title. The student may be asked to log into an item the first time they use such a link that session.
Ensure you are on the Find eJournal tab. Type in the name of the journal, year, volume, issue number and the page number that the article starts on. Then click the Go button. If you only want to link to a journal title and not an individual article then follow the same instructions but do not add the year, volume, issue and start page number to the eLibrary linker.
A list of results may appear, click on the [FindIt!@Bham] button for the correct result.
From the FindIt!@Bham 'Services for this Record' window, click on 'Click Here for Further Options',
Click on 'Citation Information (GO)'
The default citation style, MLA, includes an URL (starting with http:// and proceeding for several lines) which may be copied and pasted into other web pages or WebCT.
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However, it is very simple to create a link to an individual title via eLibrary. Linkiing in this way (rather than using the URL of the resource itself) takes advantage of eLibrary's benefits :
The web page http://www.elibrary.bham.ac.uk/scout/deeplink.asp (no password is required) contains a list of all eResources in eLibrary and the URL required to link directly to them.
The student may be asked to log into an item the first time they use such a link that session.
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Also, major revisions to the eLibrary user interface are planned for 2010 which may require some changes to be made to eLibrary deep links.
As a starting point, the link
shows that BHAM00185 is the CKB ID for ABI/Inform Full Text (which I know to be cross searchable). We can perform a search on this resource directly by using the function func=find-db-4-check and adding the parameters :
mode=simple | Perform a simple search |
find_request_1={text} | for {text} |
NOTE : This search will not work if you are not already logged into WebSSO. For instructions on ensuring users are logged in, see 'Forcing a Login' below.
It is also possible to perform advanced searches using this method. If you wish to do this instructions can be found in the online manual - see 'Further Information' below.
When you then select the Go button within the eLibrary you will then be taken to a list of useful resources for that subject area :
You can create a link to these lists of resources. To begin with you need to identify the names given in the eLibrary to the Category (Browse by Subject) e.g. Business, Economics, Urban + Regional Studies and the Sub-Category (Sub Cat) e.g. ALL.
Users can be directed to the list of eResources of a subcategory by using the following code and editing the {CATEGORY} AND {SUB_CATEGORY} sections in order to create a link:
http://diglib1.bham.ac.uk:8331/V/?func=find-db-1-category&mode=category&category={CATEGORY}&SUB_CAT={SUB_CATEGORY} |
Note that the name of the category or sub-category needs to be encoded if it contains non-alphanumeric characters. That is, spaces need to be replaced by "%20" and plus-signs need to be replaced by "%2B".
By doing this the link for the Category: Business, Economics, Urban + Regional Studies (Business,%20Economics,%20Urban%20%2B%20Regional%20Studies)
and
Sub Category: ALL becomes:
http://diglib1.bham.ac.uk:8331/V/?func=find-db-1-category&mode=category&category=Business,%20Economics,%20Urban%20%2B%20Regional%20Studies&SUB_CAT=ALL |
And the link for the Category: Business, Economics, Urban + Regional Studies (Business,%20Economics,%20Urban%20%2B%20Regional%20Studies)
and
Sub Category: Economics becomes:
http://diglib1.bham.ac.uk:8331/V/?func=find-db-1-category&mode=category&category=Business,%20Economics,%20Urban%20%2B%20Regional%20Studies&SUB_CAT=Economics |
An extra parameter, "restricted", can be added to these URLs to specify which eResources to display. This can take the values :
restricted=all | - show all resources |
restricted=unrestricted | - show only 'free' resources. |
Once students have opened the list they may be asked to enter their University username and password when they have selected a resource from the list. If the student is working off-campus it is advisable for them to log into the University Proxy Service first: http://www.helpdesk.bham.ac.uk/aresources/
takes the user to the main QuickSearch page's default search (simple search). The advanced search can be specified by adding the parameter "mode=advanced".
To actually perform a search, the function "func=quick-1-check1" should be used. The other parameters for this search are
group_number={quickset ID} | Search QuickSet No. ID |
find_request_1={text} | for {text} |
It is difficult to determine the QuickSet number using most browsers as the URL displayed in the status bar is usually truncated before the vital information. (If necessary, the information can be seen by viewing the source of the QuickSets home page.)
The current Quicksets and their IDs are :
Arts and Humanities | 000010360 |
Business and Law | 000010361 |
Engineering and Physical Science | 000010363 |
Health and Biomedical Sciences | 000010359 |
Life and Environmental Sciences | 000010364 |
Social Sciences and Education | 000010362 |
By using this with the following option (Forcing a Login) it would be possible to create a QuickSet Search Box to embed into third party web pages.
So the URL
becomes
and the user will be taken to the Shibboleth/WebSSO login page before seeing the list of eResources. If a user already has a WebSSO session open (either by previously logging onto eLibrary or another shibbolized service) then they will not be prompted again for their login credentials.
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