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EBSCO & EDS

Overview

Currently, each institution updates their database subscriptions in EBSCOhost & EDS, and manages resource  information in the EBSCO Holdings Management knowledgebase. However, if you have questions or need additional support and would like assistance, contact OPALHelp.

Adding content to your EDS is a multi-step process. Generally, these are the steps you will take when you purchase a new resource or OhioLINK subscribed content changes:

  • Add the database to the EDS profile(s) of your EBSCOAdmin by toggling the button in the enable/disable column to "on."
  • Configure a CustomLink in the EDS EBSCOAdmin (if applicable) - check the "Databases" tab above for detailed lists.
  • Add the resource by title or entire package in Holdings Management.
  • Add your institutional ID in Holdings Management (vendor level token field) if applicable. Some vendors such as Infobase (Films on Demand) tend to use these. 
  • If records are loaded into the OPAL catalog they will also appear as catalog results if the OPAL or OhioLINK catalogs are included and enabled in your EDS profile. 
  • Configure EZProxy for off-campus access.

Databases Setting in EDS and Host Admin

Partner databases are enabled via the Databases tab on your EDS profile. In most cases, you will want to ensure that the New Content Automatically Enabled is set to 'No', otherwise all new partner databases will be enabled on your profile, regardless of whether you have access or not. If you decide to set the New Content Automatically Enabled to 'Yes', then it's highly recommended that you set the Available in Library Collection limiter to 'On' by default. 

Recommended actions for Databases in EDS:

  1. Set the 'New Content Automatically Enabled' option to 'No'.
  2. Enable all OhioLINK and opt-in databases from our Databases list.
  3. Consult EBSCO Connect for guidance on additional resources you may have purchased.

Recommended actions for Databases in Host:

Although EBSCO Host is a separate section in the EBSCO admin, it's included here because the two interfaces look identical and that can be confusing. Databases in the Host section allow you to control which EBSCO databases you want to show up as searchable to your users outside of the EDS, for example through an A-Z list.

  1. Set the "New Content Automatically Enabled" option to 'Yes'. In this case you want new databases to appear as they are added, so your users have access to everything EBSCO indexes. You can always turn a specific resource off if you want to.
  2. In addition to providing direct links to EBSCO databases in A-Z and LibGuides,  make sure the database is selected as "on" in EBSCO Host. Otherwise, users will be taken to a list of available EBSCO databases instead of the specific one listed.

 

CustomLinks

You can read about CustomLinks on EBSCO's website, but know that their primary purpose is to connect users directly to full-text in most cases. Any time you add a new database to your EDS profile, be certain to review instructions in EBSCO Connect on adding a CustomLink, if one exists. Keep in mind that very frequently a CustomLink requires additional options to be set, such as a customer ID, a system collection, etc. 

Recommended actions:

  1. Review your current list of CustomLinks 
  2. Disable CustomLinks for which you do not have the databases/resource
  3. Enable the 'Show First Available Full Text Link Only (Recommended)' option
  4. Enable and configure any CustomLink found in our Databases list
  5. The custom link for OhioLINK request buttons must match the OhioLINK catalog version selected in Databases
  6. Rely on the EBSCO Connect Documentation for configuring CustomLinks for new resources
  7. Ensure the OhioLINK - EJC (New) CustomLink is enabled if you are an EJC participant

 

Example list of CustomLinks:

This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but it serves a good example of what your CustomLinks might look like.

EBSCOhost Full Text (PDF Full Text or HTML Full Text) This link should always come first.
EBSCOhost Linked Full Text  
EJC - New  
EDS - ACLS Humanities E-Book  
EDS - DOAJ  
EDS - Films on Demand  
EDS - Government Printing Office (GPO)  
EDS - HathiTrust  
EDS - OAIster  
EDS - OAPEN  
EDS - Project Muse  
EDS - Oxford University Press  
EDS - Science Online  
EDS - STAT!Ref  
EDS - World Book: Online Reference Center  
ERIC Full Text  
FREE - PubMed Central (PMID based link)  
FREE - PubMed Central (ISSN based link)  
Full Text Finder This link should always come last.

Holdings Management

It's important to ensure that your holdings (journals, ebooks, etc.) are correctly reflected in Holdings Management. The EDS relies on your holdings to ensure that CustomLinks work correctly and that the Full Text Finder has accurate results. Just like with the EDS, you will want to ensure that CustomLinks are added when appropriate. You can learn more about Holdings Management on EBSCO's website.

Recommended actions:

  1. Enable the 'Automatically Open to Full Text' option on the Full Text Finder profile in EBSCOAdmin.
  2. Upload your local print collection as a Custom package. Contact opalhelp@ohionet.org for assistance.
  3. Review current journal package information on OSTAFF for OhioLINK packages. 
  4. Check total title count vs. selected title counts.
  5. Enable the 'Allow EBSCO To Add New Titles' option on packages when appropriate.

 

Note: If configuring custom links and keeping track of everything is overwhelming, you may want to consider setting up Full-Text Finder as a custom link and make it your institution's primary method of linking to your subscribed content in the EDS. Because Full-Text Finder works based on the metadata for resources selected in the Holdings Management knowledgebase you can focus on maintaining that area of the EBSCOadmin and less on individual, vendor-specific custom links.  Contact opalhelp@ohionet.org for more information.

Apps (widgets), enhancements, etc.

Apps, enhancements, and related information are all optional in the EDS. Generally these are pieces of Javascript code that are inserted into the sidebar or footer of your EDS profile. Examples of apps (formerly called widgets) can be seen in EBSCO's App Cloud, but custom-made apps are always an option, too.

Recommended actions:

  1. Review our list of EDS enhancements.
  2. In EBSCOAdmin, disable unnecessary enhancements listed within the 'Related Information' and 'Widgets' sections under the Viewing Results tab. 
  3. Test your current enhancements in your live EDS profile. Troubleshoot if necessary.

Other Considerations

When adding a new databases or journal package, there are a number of additional steps to consider, independent of the EBSCO environment. Outside of the EDS, you will want to consider the following:

  1. Do I need to configure this resource in my off-campus proxy (EZproxy)?
  2. Do I need to load records into my local catalog for this resource?
  3. Do I need to add this resource to my local A-Z databases list or LibGuides?
  4. Do I need to add a link to my website, learning management system, or elsewhere?
  5. Do I need to advertise or announce this resource to students, staff, administration?