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August 29, 2005
Libraries' Signature Now Active
If you've opened the Libraries' home page today (I'm sure some of you do that now and then) you may have noticed that the Libraries' official University signature (or logo) is now in place at the upper-left of the home page. This change means the Libraries' have (mostly) met the University's goal of having the new graphic identity in place for the beginning of the semester. We're gradually working our way down the site hierarchy, and expect to have the new top banner in place sitewide by the end of the week.
To facilitate this change, the format of the main page has changed from SWF (Flash) to JavaScript-augmented XHTML. In addition to allowing us to make this change more quickly, it will facilitate the implementation of whatever mandated changes come down from the University once University-wide guidelines are put into place. No, we don't know when that is coming, but note that the basic layout did not change significantly because the guidelines could just as easily come sooner as later.
A significant outcome of all this will be that all of our web services will be immediately identifiable as part of the Libraries' "web branch." The signature currently appears on both JournalFinder and the EZproxy login page, and will gradually appear on other web services as vendors can accommodate. Our text-only link is also being updated, and will change in couple of weeks or so.
And I must say that of all the sites I've seen that met the signature goal, ours definitely looks the snappiest!
Posted by bcmayes at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)
August 26, 2005
EZproxy Starting Point URL Prefix
The Starting Point URLs have been implemented throughout Diamond and most of the Libraries' web site. As reported earlier, they will be implemented in JournalFinder with the next update, scheduled to take place Sunday 8/28. Thanks to Molly Larkin, Phil D'Andrea, and Brian Schoolar for their implementation work in those three respective areas.
From this point on, if you create a web page, catalog record, or other document with active hyperlinks to licensed/restricted resources and you want users to be able to login directly, you the content/document creator, must enter the link in the proper format. How? Read on.
The URL prefix currently used to create Starting Point URLs for licensed resources is:
https://shelob.ocis.temple.edu:2343/login?url=
To use it, enter the entire string -- from the first "h" to the equals sign (=) -- directly in front of the "http" in the complete URL for a resource. Some examples of how it looks when applied:
Diamond E-Reserves Record (also use for catalog records of licensed databases and ebooks, but not for general links to Diamond)
https://shelob.ocis.temple.edu:2343/login?url=http://diamond.temple.edu/record=b2453642
EBSCO Animals
https://shelob.ocis.temple.edu:2343/login?url=http://search.epnet.com/login.asp?profile=web&defaultdb=ani
Grove Music
https://shelob.ocis.temple.edu:2343/login?url=http://www.grovemusic.com/
HeinOnline
https://shelob.ocis.temple.edu:2343/login?url=http://heinonline.org/HeinOnline/start.pl
OVID Gateway
https://shelob.ocis.temple.edu:2343/login?url=http://gateway.ovid.com/autologin.html
Notes:
- Do not use the prefix on "free" resources. The user will get an error (Free resources aren't in the proxy table, and there is currently no plan to put them there). In general, don't use it for anything that isn't restricted.
- This will not be checked for as part of the review process for subject guides. If you leave it off, it will be assumed that was your intent.
- The server housing EZproxy is slated for retirement by CS, and the prefix may change as a result. We will let you know well in advance of any changes should they occur.
As usual, feel free to approach with any questions in this regard.
Posted by bcmayes at 05:43 PM | Comments (0)