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For Faculty

Integrating Library Resources into Canvas

  • Your best bet for integrating library resources into Canvas is to use persistent links.

  • For many databases, you can simply copy and paste the persistent link to provide access.

  • In some cases, you may have to copy and paste the proxy prefix in front of the persistent link in order to make it functional both on and off campus.

The proxy prefix is: http://ezgcc.vccs.edu:2048/login?url=

If a URL does not begin with the proxy prefix above, then add it to the front of the URL to make a given library resource accessible on and off campus.  Scroll to the bottom of this page for examples.

Why Persistent Links?

Persistent links in library databases permit you to connect students directly to specific articles, books, and streaming videos without worrying about copyright restrictions.  (The vendors who produce the library databases are responsible for maintaining agreements with publishers regarding copyrighted information.)

What Can I Do With Persistent Links?

In Academic Search Complete, you can create persistent links to:

  • Articles within journals, newspapers, or magazines.
  • The “landing page” for a specific journal, newspaper, or magazine.
  • Scholarly books.

  In Academic Search Complete—and all EBSCOhost databases—a persistent link is called a permalink.

In Gale Virtual Reference Library, you can create persistent links to:

  • Encyclopedia entries.
  • The "landing page" for a specific encyclopedia. 
  • Subject collections. (i.e. a listing of encyclopedias in a specific subject area, such as Medicine)

  In Gale Virtual Reference Library—and all Gale databases—a persistent link is called a bookmark.

In Opposing Viewpoints in Context, you can create persistent links to:

  • Viewpoint articles.
  • Other content. (e.g. statistical data)

  In Opposing Viewpoints in Context—and all Gale databases—a persistent link is called a bookmark.

In Films on Demand, you can create persistent links to:

  • Streaming videos. (i.e. the landing page for a specific video, known as the "Title URL")
  • Segments within streaming videos. (i.e. the "Segment URL")

In Films on Demand, a persistent link is called a record URL or a direct link.  Note: We recommend using these persistent links.  Currently, we do not recommend using the embed code.

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Will Persistent Links Work Off Campus?

If you see that the URL already contains the proxy prefix, then just copy and paste the persistent link to provide access.

The following databases already contain the proxy prefix in the persistent link:

  • All EBSCO databases (Academic Search Complete, Education Research Complete, CINAHL Complete)
  • All Gale databases (Gale Virtual Reference Library, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Science in Context)
  • Films on Demand

If a persistent link does not contain the proxy prefix, follow the advice in the section below.

Proxy URL: The Missing Piece

Add the following prefix to the front of a persistent link to create a persistent link that can be accessed both on and off campus.

http://ezgcc.vccs.edu:2048/login?url=

Example (Before)

This is a direct link to an article in Project Muse before the proxy prefix has been added:

https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/demography/v047/47.4.groen.pdf

Example (After)

This is a direct link to an article in Project Muse after the proxy prefix has been added:

http://ezgcc.vccs.edu:2048/login?url=https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/demography/v047/47.4.groen.pdf