Perma.cc prevents "link rot" (i.e., "page not found" or 404 error pages) and helps ensure that future readers will be able to access the electronic sources cited in law journal articles. Websites and webpages are constantly changing, with content being removed, updated, or moved elsewhere. Perma.cc allows users to preserve links by making archival copies of the webpages. With a Perma link, future readers will be able to see what a webpage looked like at the time when the Perma link was created, even if the webpage is subsequently modified or removed.

The Bluebook requires that all online content be stored in a permanent setting (Rule 18.2.1).

All students on journals should be added to their journal's perma.cc account. If you have questions about your account or need to be added, please contact leah.whitesel@law.northwestern.edu.

For more information on perma.cc, see our Source & Cite guide.

Once you have activated your Perma.cc account, you can begin creating Perma links for the URLs in citations. You can create links either individually or in batches (see below). 

Step 1: Log in to your Perma.cc account using your email address and password. 

Step 2: Copy and and paste the URL that you wish to create a Perma link for into the bar, and select the name of your journal to affiliate it with that organization. Click on the blue "Create Perma Link" button. 

Step 3: After a few seconds, you will see your Perma.cc record. The Perma link will become permanent after 24 hours. You should append the URL of the Perma link in brackets after the URL in the citation.