Go.mfrl

URL Shortener: go.mfrl.org

A custom short URL generator for Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library using the Open Source software YOURLS.

Nobody likes working with really really long website links (“URLs”), especially if they have a bunch of random characters in them that aren’t particularly parsable for humans. Many services exist to circumvent this (bit.ly is one of the more common ones). Well, we’ve now made one for MFRL library use! The links will all begin with go.mfrl.org. Note, this service is not for personal use

Create a link

Step One: Go to our short URL creator at go.mfrl.org/admin/ and log in with the same login credentials as MRBS.

Brief Instructions

• Copy a long URL from your browser and paste it in the first box
• Enter a Short Keyword in Custom URL box (lowercase and numbers only)
  • this is technically optional but highly recommended; random characters will be assigned otherwise
• Set Link Expiration (optional; see below)
• Click Shorten The URL.

Example:

The Your Short Link box will appear, containing your new go.mfrl.org link.

Link Expiration

By default, our Short URLs exist forever. This can be desired for link targets that will likely be around forever, like our home page, etc. Of course, the Short Keyword can only be used once. Most likely, this forever-default will be sufficient.

However, you may find a situation where a link's target will go away or be outdated. You may also want to not tie up a Short Keyword forever. For example, you may not want go.mfrl.org/msuschedule to link to www.mfrl.org/msu_fall_2021.pdf forever.

To create a Short URL with an expiration , set Expiration Type to Timer, and determine the number of days for the Short URL to live. Leave the Fallback URL blank. After the Short URL expires, [1] Short URL will go to a "link expired" page [2] the Short Keyword will be available for reuse.

Full Instructions

• In another browser tab, go to the website that you want to refer patrons to. This can be an MFRL webpage, our OPAC, or something “offsite” like Select Reads, YouTube, etc. Copy that site’s address (“URL”).
• Paste the URL you want to shorten into go.mfrl.org’s Enter the URL field. Make sure it has the HTTPS:// bit at the start of the URL (or HTTP://) otherwise it won’t work.
• (Optional) Pick a short, custom keyword for link and type that in the Custom short URL field.
  • Most commonly used; makes the link memorable
  • Must be numbers and lowercase letters only
  • If you choose a custom URL of “bacon”, the short link produced will be go.mfrl.org/bacon
  • If you leave Custom short URL blank, a random four character link like go.mfrl.org/abcd is produced. Harder to remember, but pretty darn short!
  • Remember, these links are case sensitive!
• (Optional) Expiration type. Most times, it is OK for links to live forever; in these cases ignore this dropdown field. However, if your link’s target has a real finite date (a survey that ends at a certain date, etc.). then:
  • Choose Timer (Click counter is valid, too, if you have a use for it...)
  • Enter number of days to expire the link, and change dropdown to days (unlikely to use hours or minutes)
  • Leave Fallback URL blank. Expired links (or any incorrect go. link) will get redirected to our www.mfrl.org front page
  • Again, it is fine to have most links live forever. If you have a link to a Halloween book collection, it’s possible that a patron may keep that link and not get a chance to use it until Spring.
• Click Shorten The URL. The resultant URL will appear just below, in a box.

Choosing a good Short URL

Some “short URLs” already existed before this system was implemented.

• cat.mfrl.org goes to our catalog
• my.mfrl.org goes to our catalog’s patron account login screen

You don’t want your short URL to be too generic. If you use www.mfrl.org/mfrl (without an expiration), then it can’t be used again for anything else.

You don’t want your short URL to be too long. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Remember, you can have the system auto-generate a four character URL if you having trouble coming up with your own.

Example

In our catalog, I did a Library Search on Subject of "bacon", then limited the results to Juvenile Books. The address bar showed a URL of:
https://mfrl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=bacon&qf=ITYPE%09Material+Type%091%3AJ-BOOK%09Juvenile+Book&te=ILS&rt=false%7C%7C%7CSUBJECT%7C%7C%7CSubject

After pasting the above into the go interface, the resultant URL is go.mfrl.org/bacon

Other

Searchable link database. Below the link table are tools to assist in finding existing links. You can use short URLs (in conjunction with their long URLs) that you created previously or were created by other branches.

Since these are shared logins, deletion/editing of links is disallowed. If there is an actual need to edit/delete a link you’ll need to contact IT.

This service is not for personal use.

• 

  Main Screen

• 

  Searchable Database