Web Guidelines: MIT Libraries

Barton Links:
Linking directly to a record in Barton

May 2007

We now have "permalinks" in Barton. On the full record view for any title there is a "link to this item" URL showing at the top of the screen.

Example: http://library.mit.edu/item/001398275

Use this URL to make a link to any specific item in Barton. See below for the old instructions on linking to Barton records. You may still want to make links to keyword search results using that part of the instructions below, but the other ways to link to individual items are no longer needed.

Jan. 2007

You may want to link to records in Worldcat. They have simple instructions on their site for the following:

• Create a WorldCat link with an embedded keyword search.
• Create a WorldCat link for a specific book, audio or video recording, or another non-serial item using ISBN.
• Create a WorldCat link for a specific serial (such as a magazine, journal or yearbook) using ISSN.
• Create a WorldCat link for any specific item using OCLC Number.
• Add geographic limiting to an item-specfic WorldCat link using ISBN, ISSN or OCLC.

See Create a Worldcat Link. The Worldcat record contains links to our Barton record after the user enters their zip code (it shows links to local libraries). LibX (our Firefox extension) also embeds links to Barton on Worldcat records.

Sept. 2003

A. Linking to a particular record in the Barton Catalog by ISBN or ISSN

Sample link:
http://library.mit.edu/F/?func=find-b&find_code=ISSN&request=0375504842

Put the ISBN or ISSN after the last equals sign. The link will go right to the full record for the book or journal.

Of course, you don't want to show that link on the page, just link the title, like this: On the natural history of destruction

B. Linking to a particular record if the item doesn't have an ISBN or ISSN

1. Search for the title in Barton, bring up the full record, click on "MARC tags," go to the bottom of the record and get the system number. (SYS)

2. Put the system number after "request="

Sample link:
http://library.mit.edu/F/?func=find-b&find_code=SYS&request=000776078

Of course, you don't want to show that link on the page, just link the title, like this: Come, Josephine, in my flying machine [sound recording]

C. Linking to a particular keyword search in Barton

1. Do the keyword search in Barton, then on the results screen copy the URL from the location bar of your browser, like this:

http://library.mit.edu:80/F/FU62UD57VXEPMXTEMC4VVIB5JKY1VDYEAK
SF2AI29YYKX8YQLH-16137?func=find-b&find_code=WRD&request=arctic+wildlife+refuge

2. Remove the session ID (the long number after F/ and before the
question mark) so you end up with this:

http://library.mit.edu:80/F/?func=find-b&find_code=WRD&request=arctic+wildlife+refuge

Of course, you don't want to show that link on the page, so just link the words, like this:

Barton keyword search: arctic wildlife refuge

Note: Linking to Subject Heading results is not reliable because whenever the catalog is re-indexed, the link will break, so this is not recommended. Use keyword searches instead.

For more details on Barton linking see Direct Web Links to Barton Records.