Tech: Optimize Learning Using Library Links Instead of PDF Downloads in Canvas

Posted on by dalkej
Our library subscribes to a wide range of scholarly article databases, giving you and your students access to thousands of high-quality research articles. While downloading a PDF and posting it directly to Canvas may seem convenient, linking to the article through the library’s website offers important benefits.

Why Link Instead of Uploading?
1. Accurate library usage data. The library tracks metrics such as the number of visits to a scholarly journal and article downloads from that journal or database; this data helps the library prioritize which subscriptions to keep and which to discard. When you post a PDF that you downloaded from the library, only one visit is recorded- yours! If all of your students go to the site and download the article, each visit is recorded, providing the library with more accurate information regarding actual usage. 
2. Student research skills. Secondly, doing so helps students to become familiar with the library’s website and more skillful in navigating it for their future use. 

How to Link Instead of Uploading
First, one caveat: to access the library database, students may need to login with their Denison credentials. 

When you have found the record in the library system, find the “Permanent link” to the record. Because URLs can change, you want to ensure that you provide students with the permanent link. Click the “Permanent link” icon shown below, then copy the link to use. Here is the link to the article below. From there, students can download the PDF, click on the title, copy the citation, bookmark it, and more. If you have any issues with finding the correct link, librarians are always happy to help!
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