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Canvas Integration: Proxy

Linking to Library Resources

Links to library resources work differently than links to other kinds of websites because of how our subscriptions work. Publishers want to be certain only authorized users can access their materials, so they check to see if they recognize the visitor as coming from a subscribing computer--and they include extra information in the URLs to allow them to keep track. One of the side-effects of this is that copying and pasting a link from your browser bar sometimes works, but mostly does not. Sometimes it will just not work. Sometimes it will work for students or faculty on-campus, but not off-campus. You can reliably fix these problems by routing the links through the HCCS libraries' proxy server.

Here you can see an EbscoHost database permalink -

Screenshot of Ebsco Database page showing a permalink

How to Create Proxy Links

Proxy links are special URLs that allow easy access to HCC's vast selection of subscription resources, like journal articles and streaming videos. Some HCC library databases provide you with links that are already proxied, others do not. Here are some tips for recognizing and creating them for use with your courses. 

  • The link must be a "persistent" link. This means that the link is usually not the one found in the browser address bar, but generally on the page and labeled "permalink" or "durable link" or something similar..
  • You do not need to do this for freely available sites (such as Google) or links that are already formatted and appear similar to "https://0-xxx-yyyyyy-zzz.librus.hccs.edu/moreurlstuff" with a "0" at the beginning, dashes replacing periods before the top-level domain, and "librus.hccs.edu" after this. NOTE - some vendors, particularly streaming video databases like Kanopy, do not adhere to this pattern. Their permalinks will often include a location code or customer number like "hccs" instead to provide off-campus access.
  • These proxied links will work from both on-campus and off-campus. When off-campus, the link routes users through our proxy server, which authenticates them as HCC students, staff, or faculty by prompting the user to enter their HCC ID and password.
  • You can try manually building these proxied links by adding this information - https://0-xxx-yyyyyy-zzz.librus.hccs.edu/moreurlstuff" - to your link. For example, this link - 

https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=136235780&site=eds-live&scope=site

Would need to change to -

https://0-search-ebscohost-com.librus.hccs.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=136235780&site=eds-live&scope=site

  • If a link from inside a database does not seem to work for you, it is likely that the link inside our online item catalog will work. Try searching for the individual item at - https://librus.hccs.edu/
  • Not all proxied links follow the above pattern. When in doubt, reach out to your campus librarian. You can also email Digital Resources Librarian Jennifer Stidham at jennifer.stidham@hccs.edu for assistance.

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