A recent tour of the Library’s Web site revealed a few situations where changes on certain pages could reduce maintenance effort and significantly improve service to our users. Because of the frequency of the occurrence of some of these situations, updates would result in a major overall improvement in the quality of the UW Library web site. Five specific areas are described below.
1. ERM Title Access
On a number of web pages entries for specific resources use the URL that points directly to the vendor’s web site While this will lead a user to the title, a number of capabilities are not available to the user. The usage will not be recorded in local statistics. If a user is coming from off campus and clicks the link before going to the Connect from Home page, access will be denied at the vendor without instructions on how to connect and the connection process can be complicated.
By using the URL that points to the Library’s GoScript to access the ERM resource, use statistics will be collected locally and if the user is from off campus and has not yet visited the Connect from Home page, they will be prompted for a login rather than just denied access. This situation applies to URLs pointing to Journals Indexes, E-Journals and commercially purchased Online Reference Shelf items
Examples:
Direct access URL: - http://jnul.huji.ac.il/rambi/
GoScript URL: – http://testtube.uwaterloo.ca/Go/index.cfm?resource=118
To find “the resource=” number merely go to the item you want to link in the appropriate ERM list and simply right click on the resource link and select "Copy Shortcut". Then paste the shortcut over top of the direct URL link in your document.
Remember to verify that the link is working.
2. Restricted Access resources not in ERM
Direct access URLs to restricted resources that are not included in the ERM database will lead the user to the resource but without recording local use statistics. If a user is coming from off campus and clicks the link before going to the Connect from Home page, access will be denied at the vendor without instructions on how to connect.
By pointing the URL to the Library’s GoScript, local use statistics will be recorded and the off campus user will be prompted to login as they are with regular ERM items if authentication is required. This situation applies to any resource that has access restrictions and is not in ERM.
To make a GoScript URL, go to the Getting to and Pointing to Licensed Resources page. It provides a form that allows you to put the Direct Access URL into a form and will create a GoScript URL and allow you to copy the new URL for pasting into a Web page. The form is accompanied by instructions.
Examples:
Direct Access URL: http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/uwonly/weboed.html
GoScript URL: http://testtube.uwaterloo.ca/Go/index.cfm?locn=
http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/uwonly/weboed.html
3. Direct Access rather than top level access
Frequently URLs included on a web page point to the top level of a service rather than to the specific item which is referenced on the web page This can confuse a user who expects to access a resource but finds him or herself at another page requiring more searching or clicking to get to the referenced resource. Using a URL pointing directly to the final page for the resource is much more user friendly.
Example: (URL to Canadian Periodical Index)
URL supplied: http://ejournals.uwaterloo.ca
Direct URL: http://testtube.uwaterloo.ca/Go/index.cfm?resource=180
Example: (Municipalities in Alberta)
URL supplied: http://www.canada.gc.ca/
Direct URL:
http://www.municipalaffairs.gov.ab.ca/mahome/ms/
index.cfm
To find the URLs merely browse to the desired final page and then copy the URL from the address box of the results page into your document.
Remember to verify that the link is working.
WARNING: In some cases a web site may assign a cookie or other identifier to make additional activities on their site more efficient. In these instances this simple strategy will not work. You can test the situation by shutting down your browser after the new URL has been added to your page. Then restart your browser and click on the new link and if the correct page is returned all is well. If the URL has been entered correct and the results are not what you expect, you may have encounter an instance where this strategy will not work and the higher level URL must be used.
4. Incorrect URL for the E-Journal Service
Many instances of URLs pointing to the pre-ERM E-Journals services were detected. This results in the user waiting and finally receiving a time out error.
Examples:
Old incorrect URL: http://webdev.uwaterloo.ca/journals/index.html?navbar=uw
Correct URL: http://ejournals.uwaterloo.ca
5. Subject Access pages maintained manually
In a number of cases librarians are maintaining pages for accessing E-journals, Journals Indexes or E-Reference materials relevant to their subjects. This takes considerable effort particularly to keep links up to date with changes and new additions. A simpler method is available using the existing E-Journals, Journals-Indexes, E-Reference and now a new E-Resources system. By using a URL pointing to these services and specifying a particular subject the latest and most up-to-date list of items linked to that subject will be delivered to the user.
If an item does not appear under a subject that you require, please contact the TUG E-Journals, Journal Indexes or E-Reference groups to have it added in the ERM database.
Direct links specifying a subject can be constructed for any subject. An E-Resources by subject link returns E-Reference, Journals Indexes and E-Journals for a subject on a single page.
Examples using Classical Studies
E-Journals – http://ejournals.uwaterloo.ca/ejdisplay.cfm?srchfld1=subject
&srchtxt1=167&subjectHeading=Classical%20Studies
Journals-Indexes - http://journal-indexes.uwaterloo.ca/results.cfm?resourceType=index
&subjectID=167&subjectHeading=Classical%20Studies
E-Reference - http://eresources.uwaterloo.ca/results.cfm?resourceType=
reference&subjectID=167&subjectHeading=Classical
%20Studies
E-Resources - http://eresources.uwaterloo.ca/results.cfm?resourceType=
comb&subjectID=167&subjectHeading=Classical%20Studies
To find the URLs merely go to the top level page for either the E-Journals Titles, Journal Articles, etc. or Online Reference Shelf pages and right click on the subject your want and select "Copy Shortcut". Then paste the shortcut over top of the direct URL link in your document.
For E-Journals go first to http://ejournals.uwaterloo.ca and select a subject.
For Journal Indexes go first to http://journal-indexes.uwaterloo.ca and select a subject.
For E-Resources go first to http://eresources.uwaterloo.ca and select a subject.
For E-Reference go first to http://eresources.uwaterloo.ca, select a subject and after copying the URL change the resourceType variable in the URL from “comb” to “reference”.
Remember to verify that the link is working.
University of Waterloo Library
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519 888 4883
contact us | give us feedback | privacy statement | © 2011
University of Waterloo