Specifying the URL to a Reference Database

The URL for a reference database is the same as the URL for the library catalog on the WebPAC, except each reference database is assigned to a different "port". The port number is entered into an <A HREF=...> tag following the machine's IP name, using a colon to separate the port number from the IP name. Numbering of the ports usually begins at 81 (Innovative will inform you of the port numbers used for each database when this feature is set up). See Reference Databases for more information reference databases.

You can use the N > Limit NETWORK access function to see the port number used by each reference database and to control the IP addresses that are allowed to connect to each database. A reference database will appear in the list as WWW:Port#(DBName), where Port# is the number of the port and DBName is the name of the database. For example:

WWW:83(ABI)

This indicates that the ABI database is accessed through port 83.

You may also control WebPAC access privileges for reference databases independently of the privileges that you grant for the main database. See Login Administration for details.

Some sample URLs for reference databases are:

<A HREF="http://www.stateu.edu:81/search/">Expanded Academic Index</A>

Connects to the WebPAC Menu of the eai database on port 81 using the /search command.

<A HREF="http://www.stateu.edu:82/search/">Wilson's Index to Legal Periodicals</A>

Connects to the WebPAC Menu of the wilp database on port 82 using the /search command.

<A HREF="http://www.stateu.edu:83/search/">ABI Inform Database</A>

Connects to the WebPAC Menu of the abi database on port 83 using the /search command.

You can also use Web Access Management to control access to these databases. Web Access Management gives your library greater control over access to these databases, allowing restrictions based on patron type or other criteria. In this case, the links to these databases use the /wm/<token> command link, specifying the library-assigned token for the particular database. An example is:

<A HREF="/wm/wilp/search/">Wilson's Index to Legal Periodicals</A>

This connects to the WebPAC Menu of the wilp database. The port number and all access privileges are established by the library in the forward table used in Web Access Management. See the discussion of Web Access Management for further details on this feature.