Creating Links to Web Catalog Records and Searches

Introduction

This page will show you how to make links to specific items or searches in the Washington University Libraries Catalog for your own web pages or bookmarks. [It is NOT intended to teach you how to write and publish using HTML or how to use your web browser bookmark or favorites function. There are numerous books and web sites that will do that.]

We expect this function will be especially useful to faculty and teaching assistants as they are making web pages that contain a course syllabus and/or course bibliographies. If you find other uses you'd like to share or have questions about this procedure, please use the Comments form or call the Help Desk at 935-5410.

General syntax for links to the web version of the Library Catalog

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/[INDEX TAG HERE]?[SEARCHTERM/S HERE]

• Some common index tags are:

  d for Subject t for Title a for Author X for Keyword - note: this must be cap. "X"

  c for Call Number r for Reserve Course p for Course Instructor o for OCLC Number i for ISSN or ISBN

• Replace spaces in search terms with plus signs (+)
• Use the pipe character (|) to "untruncate" a search (useful when calling up individual records or picking subjects/authors/titles out of a browse)
• Sometimes you CAN do a search in the Catalog and copy the URL you see in your browser's LOCATION window. This URL will work for awhile, but this a BAD idea for long-term use, because the URL will contain number references to the browse screen which will change when additions are made to the catalog. Such URLs are also longer than they need to be.
      BAD LINK:
      http://catalog/search/
  a+le+guin+ursula+k+1929/1,1,48/item&a+le+guin+ursula+k+1929&4,,48
• It is better to create a URL following the syntax above. For links to specific items in the Catalog, choose searches that will retrieve ONLY that item, such as a call number, ISBN or OCLC Number. To learn the OCLC Number, view the "Marc Display" and use the 001 field. Add a | (pipe sign) if the link retrieves more than one item.
      GOOD LINKS:
      http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/c?PS3562E42B4+1991 OR http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/o?23194482

Examples

You want to link to a specific record.

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/c?PS3562E48B4+1991 OR http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/o?23194482

The Beginning Place, by Ursula LeGuin OR The Beginning Place, by Ursula LeGuin (using OCLC Number)

You want to link to a specific term in a subject browse.

Do a subject search and add the | (pipe sign):

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/d?China+--+Agriculture|

Chinese Agriculture

You want to link to a general subject browse screen.

Do a subject search WITHOUT the | (pipe sign):

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/d?China+--+Agriculture

Chinese Agriculture

You want to link to holdings of a specific author.

Do an author search:

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/a?Hugo,+Victor,+1802-1885 (sometimes you may want to add the | (pipe sign) at the end)

Washington University materials by Victor Hugo

You want to link to course reserve lists.

Biology Course Reserve Lists http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/r?biology

OR

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/r?biology+coursenumber

OR

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/r?biology+coursename

Print counterpart link on More info page for the database

http://catalog.wustl.edu/search/t?bibliography+of+bioethics

Or even easier, just use the "Permanent URL for this record:" which is now found in the online catalog:

http://catalog.wustl.edu/record=b1241516~S2; the ~S2 is optional.