Creating Links Through the UWM Proxy Server

When the EZProxy prefix is added to an E-Reserve Reading list, or a link to an article in a database, off-campus students will be prompted to login using their ePanther ID and password. This login and password will give them access to subscription databases from off-campus. You may add the Proxy server to a link by using the Linkmaker. See the instructions below for E-Reserve links and Database PURLs. Why add the Proxy? By creating a link to an article in a database, rather than downloading and posting the article, you are less likely to violate copyright law. By adding the Proxy server to the PURL, you improve student access to the content and reduce the confusion of navigating to another login point, etc. **Two database publishers, Ebsco and Proquest, already include the Proxy server prefix in their PURLs.

Can I add a link to my E-Reserve list in D2L?

You may add a link to your E-Reserve reading list as long as you include the proxy server in the link. To view the reading list students must login with their ePanther ID and password. Distance Education students and students who are new to the campus may need assistance logging in. Each semester, faculty will receive alternate login instructions from E-Reserve to help students in those situations. For more information, call or email Kathy Bowes or Becky Clinnin at 414-229-3698.

Instructions for D2L Quicklinks to E-Reserve (Flash)

Use Tiny URL to fix links

Yesterday I tried to make a link to an article from the New York Times Magazine in the Content area of my D2L course. I found a link to the full-text article in the Proquest Newspapers database. In theory this should have been a straight forward copy and paste job since the UWM Proxy server is already coded in the permanent URL for all Proquest links. (The Proxy is essential since it is the tool that prompts our off-campus users to login and allows them to use our resources remotely.)

Unfortunately this did not work! D2L reads the link a little bit differently in the Content area so it did not recognize the Proxy and instead sent me to a generic login page for the publisher. The fix: I took the pURL from Proquest and turned it into a TinyURL. TinyURL can take a long cumbersome link and create a redirect to a smaller, compact link that is easier for users to manage. It also fixed the problem I was having with my D2L content link.

Copyright and Intellectual Property:

Just like print books and journals, any online content you redistribute is subject to copyright law. Therefore, it is not advisable that you download and post the full-text or PDF of another author’s article or book chapter, or your own work if you have assigned your copyright interest, directly to your online course content. To the extent that you choose to do so, it is your responsibility to determine if distribution of a print or digital text, or portion of a print or digital text, falls within the Fair Use Guidelines and/or to secure permission from the relevant author(s) or assignee(s) to use the text in question. Even if you do believe your use falls within Fair Use Guidelines or you have obtained permission to post, the unrestricted nature of such postings may create an unnecessary risk of a copyright violation.

As an alternative to downloading and posting copyrighted materials onto your course content, we strongly encourage you to work with UWM Libraries Reserve Services to make course readings available for students via E-Reserve. The Libraries have adopted an E-Reserve policy designed to help faculty and instructors electronically comply with Fair Use Guidelines. See the Copyright Guidelines for Reserve and Electronic Reserve.

Additional information on copyright law and determining Fair Use.

When is a Permanent URL not permanent?

Database companies license content from publishers. From time to time publisher agreements change. Journals can “disappear” from a publication list in one of our databases. It is advisable to check all links for current access in advance of reading deadlines. To ensure timely availability of readings, contact E-reserve for assistance. For more information, email Kathy Bowes or Becky Clinnin or call them at 414-229-3698.