Fastlinks

What is a Fastlink?

"Fastlinks" are a database capability which can be described as a form of "deep linking." Essentially, this is the ability to create a URL (= hot link) which can burrow into a database TGIF and retrieve a specific record or set of records in a specific presentation format, without the user necessarily being aware of what has occurred. To the user, it is "just another hot link."

Fastlinks can be used in a wide range of very non-traditional-TGIF ways. The examples below are intended only to demonstrate some ways in which it will be possible to use this capability; it is intended primarily as a brainstorming aid.

Why link to the TGIF record using a fastlink instead of directly to the item itself?

• Fastlink access is free to linkers and users.
• Fastlinks provide an intermediate link for limited-access materials.
• A consistent presentation format and retrieval speed to the TGIF records enables faster relevance review, reducing user frustration.
• Revision and other relevant notes are incoporated into the TGIF record, including cross-links to other editions or related records.
• Avoid future dead links - URL's within the TGIF record that link to the full-text of the item will be maintained by TIC through TGIF. TGIF becomes a central "link maintainer" for the discipline's literature.
• TGIF includes print as well as online literature, allowing most of the turf literature to be linkable. As additional older material is made available online in the future, these materials will then automatically be linked via the TGIF record.
• An entire search set can be (depending on the search done) a dynamic, self-updating file.
• Fastlink Generator Scripts allow quick access to specific records and search sets, and can make using TGIF faster, easier, and less complicated!

Creating Fastlinks Using a Generator Script

1. A single TGIF records can be recalled by entering a known TGIF record number into the Single Record Fastlink Generator.
   • TGIF R=12564
     The fastlink URL for each individual record can be found near the bottom of each record's display - the above record's URL is: https://tic.lib.msu.edu/tgif/flink?recno=12564
2. A custom set of records can be tagged with a unique identifier and recalled using a Tagged Search Display.
   • A search displaying: all purchases for the Noer Collection in 2013
   • 'Custom' search results can be created by adding a tag into records and delivered via email.
3. A set of records can be accessed by using the known keyword descriptor search:
   • A search for all records containing a keyword of : Alternate Event Preparation