Q. What is a permalink and where do I find it?

A permalink (also called persistent link) is a link that will take you through the library's login page in order to access the article. Some of the databases, such as EBSCO and ProQuest, have the permalink already created. Some other databases have the permalink listed in the citation section of the article.

In EBSCO, you can click on an article title and find the permalink listed in the Tools section on the right side of the article information. After you select Permalink, the link will appear above the article title. In ProQuest, you will select Abstract/Details under the article title. If you scroll down the Details section, you will locate the Document URL, to the right you will find the permalink.

If a database does not have a “share” function or simply does not provide permalinks in the database, in most cases you can create your own permalink. You can create a permalink by copying the link in the URL and pasting that URL into the OpenAthens link generator.

OpenAthens link generator: https://go.openathens.net/generate/liberty.edu/72484845

Once you paste your URL into the OpenAthens link generator, a new URL will be generated below the “Enter your links” bar. If you did not encounter a red error message, this new URL is likely to be longer and feature different characters such as percentage signs and 2F or 3F in the URL. This change is expected behavior. Please note that it is essential to test these links before putting them into coursework or sending them to other people.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to us at (434) 582-2220 or at research@liberty.edu.