OpenURL – Reference at Newman Library

Fix for Linking Errors from OneSearch to EBSCO Databases

EBSCO fixed the problem on their end that was causing error messages when users tried to go from links in OneSearch records into EBSCOhost databases for the full text (see last week’s blog post for details). Ex Libris is still updating its system in Alma for handling those links based on changes made by EBSCO, so some residual errors may crop up. If you have any linking problems from OneSearch into any database, please report them ASAP to Mike Waldman or me.

Linking Errors from OneSearch to EBSCOhost Databases (resolved)

Most (if not all) links from OneSearch records that lead into EBSCOhost databases dead end at an “OpenURL Connection” error page from EBSCO that looks like one of these:

Version 1:

Version 2:

This is the same problem that cropped up in June that EBSCO and Ex Libris eventually fixed. It’s now back again. Until the two vendors sort this out (again), here is the workaround:

Look for another database link in the OneSearch record that goes to something other than an EBSCOhost database
Use the A-Z list of databases to get to a link to the relevant EBSCOhost database and then run the search for the article within that database.

Occasional Link Errors from OneSearch to EBSCOhost Databases (resolved)

There’s a known issue with the way EBSCOhost databases handle incoming links from OneSearch. In some cases (but not most), the link in OneSearch that leads to an EBSCOhost database will lead you to an “EBSCO OpenURL Connection” page that is essentially a dead end (see below for the simple workarounds).

Here is a link to a sample OneSearch record where this EBSCOhost problem occurs:

Bennett, L. K., Scruggs, X., & Woods, J. M. (2020). Surprise, Hurt, and Anger as Emotional Responses to Expectancy Violations Following Feedback Messages. Communication Research Reports, 37(1-2), 22–33. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2020.1737000.

Here is an annotated screenshot showing which database link in that record is the problem one:

If you click the “Communication & Mass Media Complete” database link, you get to a dead-end error page from EBSCO that looks like this and has options that you’ll want to ignore:

Workarounds to this problem

Until EBSCOhost can fix this occasional problem, try one of these workarounds:

Look for a link in the OneSearch record that goes to something other than an EBSCOhost database (in the above example, that would be the link for “Taylor & Francis Online”)
Use the A-Z list of databases to get to a link to the relevant EBSCOhost database and then run the search for the article within that database.