The redirector and non-standard link syntaxes

Some service providers, including Gale, EBSCO and ProQuest, have a distinct URL syntax that uses proprietary parameters instead of more standard parameters like entityID. To create redirector links to these providers' content, you must format the target URLs in a specific way.

Before creating redirector links to these providers, check if you actually need them. If the provider is set up to use OpenAthens, their proprietary link syntax may already perform the same function as the redirector by automatically routing users through OpenAthens authentication. You might need to use the redirector only in specific situations, for example if all outgoing links from your library system should have the same prefix.

Following are examples of how to configure redirector links for some providers. For other providers, including EBSCO, see Library management systems.

ProQuest

Include ProQuest’s accountid parameter in the target URL.

• ProQuest link format: {ProQuest_product_URL}?accountid={your_ProQuest_accountid}

• ProQuest link example: https://search.proquest.com/education?accountid=12345

• Redirector link: https://go.openathens.net/redirector/test.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.proquest.com%2Feducation%3Faccountid%3D12345

Gale Cengage

Gale has two link formats:

• {Gale_product_URL}?u={LocationID}

• {Gale_product_URL}?userGroupName={LocationID}

Include the relevant parameter in the target URL. You can find your location ID at Gale Support: Find your location ID.

• Gale link example:  https://link.gale.com/apps/GDCS?u=uniedu

• Redirector link: https://go.openathens.net/redirector/test.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.gale.com%2Fapps%2FGDCS%3Fu%3Duniedu

See also

• Create redirector links

• Library management systems