Tutorial:  Setting Up LinkOut for Libraries

Please provide an icon to represent your library. Your marketing department or IT staff may be able to help you with this. Your icon could be your institution's logo or simply a statement saying "Full-text provided by [Library Name]" or "[Library Name] Print Collection" .

Icons should:

• Be the recommended 100 by 25 pixels (maximum is 150 by 35 pixels).
• Look like a button.
• Have an outline or borders.
• Not have a white or transparent background.
• Be in one of the recommended image formats: GIF, JPEG, or PNG

Your icon file name should be simple, such as the name of your library.  Please use letters from the English alphabet or numbers. Do not use special characters or spaces.

Icon file name examples:  libft.gif; libprint.gif, mylib.jpg  

Here are a few examples of icons:

There are two ways to provide Electronic Full-text and Print holdings icons to LinkOut.  Icons can be stored at a publicly accessible URL, or uploaded.

Please Note:  The ability to provide a print icon is only enabled after you register your print holdings in the Submission Utility.

1. Login to the Library Submission Utility.
2. Click Provide Icon on the left sidebar (under Library Information).
3. This will bring you the Provide Icon for Your Library  page.

By URL

If you choose this method, each day LinkOut will look at the icon URL and get the latest version of your icon.  If your web or marketing staff manages icons, this is probably the best method for you.  It allows you to change your icon at anytime without having to change your LinkOut files.  Store your icon(s) in a publicly accessible area on your web site, not an intranet or behind a firewall.

1. Type the URL for each icon in the appropriate text box. 
   1. If you have both print and electronic full-text holdings, you should have two different URLs.  Make sure the URLs point directly to the icon file, not an html page.
      • Example URLs:
        • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PMGifs/Toolbar/library.gif
        • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PMGifs/Toolbar/lib-pricon.gif
2. Click the Proceed button.
3. This will bring you to a confirmation page.  Updates will appear in PubMed within 48 hours.

By Upload

If you choose this method, you need to upload the icon to LinkOut if any changes are made. 

1. Click the Browse button.
2. This will allow you to choose the icon file.

Please note, choosing a file may look a little different depending on your computer operating system and browser.

3. In the Look in box, locate the icon you want to upload.

4. Click the Open button.

5. On the Provide Icon for Your Library  page, click the Proceed button.
6. This will bring you to a confirmation page.  Updates will appear in PubMed within 48 hours.

If you do not provide icons, LinkOut will provide default icons: 

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