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Trying to set up EbscoHost CINAHL Database with Course Reserves.

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Applies to

 

A customer is unsure how to set up their CINAHL database subscription and is trying to add titles (ebooks or journals) from CINAHL into WorldShare Course Reserves,

However :

  • No titles appear in Collection Manager
  • They cannot add items at a title level
  • They were not given a title list from vendor
  • They are unsure how to proceed with CINAHL subscription

Environment

  • CINAHL (EBSCOhost)
  • WorldShare Management Services (WMS)
  • WorldCat  Discovery Course Reserves
  • WorldShare Collection Manager
  • EZproxy / OpenAthens (for off-campus access)

Answer    
CINAHL doesn’t work like an ebook or journal package—it’s designed for finding articles, not managing titles. The best way to add readings to Course Reserves is to link directly to individual articles using EBSCO permalinks. This avoids the need for title lists and ensures reliable access for students.  

CINAHL is not a title-based collection (like ebooks or journal packages). It is an indexing and abstracting database, meaning:

  • It primarily provides article-level content
  • It does not supply title lists for Collection Manager
  • It cannot be used for title-level reserves

- The correct approach is to use article-level linking, not title-level records.

Important aspects to understand : 

CINAHL is not equivelant to eBook or journal collection
 

Think of CINAHL as:

  • A database to find articles 
  • Not a database to manage titles (books/journals) 
     

Recommended Workflow (Best Practice)

Option A:  Add Articles as Course Readings (Recommended)

This is the standard and most effective approach.

Steps:

Find the article in CINAHL (EBSCOhost)

  1. Open the detailed record
  2. Click Permalink (on the right-hand tools menu)
  3. Copy the permalink
    •  Use this link
    •  Do NOT use the browser URL
       
  4.  Add the link into WorldShare Course Reserves as a:
    • Web resource / reading link
       
  5. Ensure off-campus access by:
Option B:  If Title-Level Reserves Are Required

If the customer insists on adding a title (book/journal), clarify what they mean:

If it’s a journal title:

  • Manage it via:
    • Your knowledge base holdings in Collection Manager 
    • Publisher or aggregator collections
  • Do NOT use CINAHL

If it’s an ebook:

  • Confirm the actual provider:
    • EBSCO eBooks
    • ProQuest Ebook Central
    • Other platforms
  • CINAHL does NOT provide ebook titles

Additional information

How Collection Manager Fits

  • Used for:
    • Knowledge base (journals and ebooks)
    • MARC records
  • Not used for:
    •  Article-level database content like CINAHL
  • CINAHL typically:
    • Does not provide a KBART title list
    • Cannot populate “titles” in Collection Manager

How WorldCat Discovery Helps

  • Can:
    •  Display CINAHL in Databases A–Z
    • Support linking via proxy/resolver
  • Cannot:
    • Convert CINAHL into a title-based collection
       

Also see :  Set up and use course reserves   and    Metasearch Content

Page ID

68500