Thanks to all who responded to my posting below.
I received a response from Brooke Stephenson of Westlaw giving me stable url for the publication I mentioned (American Jurisprudence) and how to modify the url to access other sources. This works.
I even inserted our proxy prefix and it works. The remaining problem for us is to get rid of the terms of service agreement initial screen. What’s now happening is when I click on the stable url, I am first brought to the terms of service screen. After indicating agreement (assuming my popup blocker is disabled) I am then brought directly to the screen for that source. I believe that if we could bypass the terms of service agreement screen that we would go directly to the search screen for that source.
So I have asked for help from Brooke to bypass this screen. Anyway, here is her response.
From: Stephenson, Brooke (West)
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:39 PM
To: <SNIP>
Cc: <SNIP>
Subject: RE: More Info. and question -- RE: Are There Persistent or Stable URLs for resources in Westlaw Campus Research?
<SNIP>
Here is the stable URL they can use to access specific databases. The only thing they need to change is the Westlaw database identifier at the end. In this example, it is AMJUR.
http://www.westlaw.com/search/default.wl?sp=000318615-2000&rs=WLW9.0&mt=CampusLaw&vr=2.0&DB=AMJUR <http://www.westlaw.com/search/default.wl?sp=000318615-2000&rs=WLW9.0&mt=CampusLaw&vr=2.0&DB=AMJUR>
Send along my contact info if they have any questions.
Thanks,
Brooke
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
Brooke Stephenson Technology Manager, Government
Thomson Reuters
O 703-971-0077
brooke.stephenson@thomsonreuters.com
thomsonreuters.com <http://thomsonreuters.com/>
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu] On Behalf Of Franco, Adrienne
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 4:54 PM
To: law-lib@ucdavis.edu
Subject: [LAW-LIB:59347] Persistent/Stable URLs for Individual Publications/Sources in WESTLAW CAMPUS RESEARCH-- also question about initial terms of service screen
Importance: High
Hello! I’m a new subscriber to this list and look forward to learning more about law librarianship and legal materials.
Our library subscribes to Westlaw Campus Research. Apologies if this has already been discussed.
I called Westlaw Campus Research Tech Support and asked them whether persistent or stable urls are available for individual resources (e.g. American Jurisprudence 2d) within Campus Research or if instructions are available on how to create such urls for individual sources publications.
The person I spoke with in Tech Support said her manager told her that the only way to access specific resources directly would be for them to create a special web page for us. I asked her if this would cost anything but she didn’t know.
Campus Research is a wonderful product with many valuable resources. Unfortunately, content is often buried under layers of clicks and library patrons may not even be aware that specific sources are included within the database.
What we try to do for specific resources which we know our users would want to access, is to actually create a record in our library catalog for the resource.
For example, we would create a cataloging record for American Jurisprudence 2d, but instead of a call no. we would include a direct, persistent url which our patrons would click on directly from the cataloging record to go right to the screen within Campus Research to allow them to ONLY search that publication.
We do this already with selected specific resources within Lexis-Nexis Academic.
This would increase use of the database and make its content more visible to library users.
I’m puzzled by the apparent lack of persistent urls as virtually every other database vendor we have provides such urls – often not only for source publications but even for specific articles (e.g. journal articles) as well. This includes Lexis-Nexis Academic, which is a related database we also subscribe to.
I’m also puzzled by why, when we click on link to Campus Research, we are brought to a terms of agreement screen which we have to click on ok and then go, before we can get to the initial search screen for the database. No other database vendor requires users to click on a terms of service agreement screen. We had asked if we could be brought directly to the initial search page in the database but were told “no”.
I asked them if they would pass along my e-mail as feedback to executives at Thomson Reuters or whoever is in a policymaking position who could allow persistent urls and bypassing of the terms of agreement screen.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Adrienne Franco
Reference & Instructional Services Librarian
Iona College Libraries
715 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801-1890
(914) 633-2348
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