An Open Linking Overview followed by SFX RIT

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• An Open Linking Overview followed by
  SFX _at_ RIT

Liz DoppElectronic Resources LibrarianRochester
Institute of Technology
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?
Open Linking
Closed Linking
Context-sensitive
targets
Extended services
?
Appropriate copy
OpenURL Framework
Metadata packet
Sources
hooks
?
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What does it all mean ???
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Outline

• Traditional (Closed) Linking
• Shortcomings of Closed Linking
• The Solution Open Linking
• How Open Linking Works

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Linking in General

• Linking takes the user from one
• web resource to a related web
• resource

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Example of Traditional Linking

• Many database vendors provides linking from
  their citations to publishers full-text content.

Links
Linking
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How Closed Linking works

• Database vendor wishes to enhance their citation
  dbase and offer links to full-text, so
• Said database vendor obtains stable e-journal
  URLs from publisher(s).
• When user searches vendors database.i.e. Web
  of Science, SilverPlatter, Cambridge
• Search results may provide a link to publishers
  site where user views e-journal
  article..hopefully.

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Biggest Shortcomings?

• Traditional linking bypasses the local
  environment the library!
• Proprietary systems lack uniform standards and
  are unable to interlink and operate with others

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Traditional Linking Libraries have no (or
little) say as how to

• Customize the links to reflect local holdings
• Provide deeper linking
• Provide the best copy of an article
• Authenticate users as they pass to publishers
  site
• Offer users a more fully interlinked information
  environment

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A Solution?
Open Linking!
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What Open Linking does

• Takes into account the local environment
• Inserts the librarian into the process allowing
  choices and control
• Library able to offer creative, fuller services
  services our users want and expect!

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Insert the LibraryHow?

• A component is added to the linking process
  the librarys Link Server/Resolver

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Library tells its Link Server
These are the databases and ejournals we
get Here are the extended services we want our
users to see and when Here is the look and order
of what is to be displayed to users
RIT Librarian
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Librarian Contacts Database Vendor...
My library has a link server and would like to
use the OpenURL enabled version of EBSCOHost.
Our servers address is http//athena.rit.edu
and our SFX icon is located at http//athena.rit.e
du/sfxicon
RIT Librarian
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On the Database Vendors side

• Vendor needs to be able to send and receive
  OpenURLs.
• An OpenURL is a packet of metadata.
• OpenURL Web address of the librarys link
  server AND info about the content (journal title,
  article title, date, volume, page

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What does an OpenURL look like?
Institute of Physics Publishing http//athena.ri
t.edu/?sidIOPPjnl_ref genrearticleaulastKott
osauinitTissn00312d9007 stitlePhys2eRev2
eLett2evolume79issue24 spage4794date1997

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What Open Linking Look Likes
1. User searchesDatabase(Source), 2. Gets
citations, 3. Clicks onlinking icon
Full text
5. Librarys link server/resolver
4. OpenURL
ILL form
Book reviews
Google
more!
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What the user experiences .
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In Summary

• Linking takes the user from one web resource to a
  related web resource.
• Open Linking uses a link server/resolver to
  select and present links to appropriate, related
  resources. It does so independent of the original
  web resource.

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In Summary

• A link server/resolver requires a package of
  metadata to determine what it can link the user
  out to.
• OpenURL standardizes the syntax for transmitting
  a metadata to a link server/resolver.

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Thats the simplified version of Open Linking
.Questions?(please, nooo)
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SFX _at_ RIT
linking users to
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Why SFX for RIT?

• III Web Bridge and Endeavors Encompass and
  vaporware
• ExLibris worked with creator of the OpenURL
• ExLibris instrumental in push for NISO standard
  of OpenURL
• SFX reasonably priced and proven

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Needs addressed by SFX?

• Seamlessly connect RIT users to best content and
  useful options
• Make fuller use out of databases and
  e-journals

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Today, 65 RIT dbases feature

• First Search
• Ebscohost
• Proquest
• SilverPlatter
• Wilson (soon)
• CSA
• RIT catalog

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Clicking links users to

• 12,000 full-text e-journals
• 7,000 full-text e-books
• ERIC Documents
• RIT and Connect NY Catalogs
• ILLiad (automated ILL form)
• Book reviews (Syndetics, Amazon)
• Google and other search engines
• Live chat, e-mail help, FAQ

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Original SFX team

• Head of Library Technology Services (LTS)
• Electronic Resources Librarian
• LTS Software Specialist
• LTS Unix/Web Server Asst. Administrator

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SFX implementation at RIT

• Hardware - from specs to ordering
• to install 10 weeks
• SFX Install early June 2002
• SFX Training 2 days/mid June 2002
• Planned launch July 15, 2002 BUT

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Our launch reality Sept 2002!

• Server security issues
• The big pictureand the little details
• What displays when what order?
• Customize button and menu?
• How to test?
• Working on MetaLib at the same time
• Pioneering III Catalog and ILLiad

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Challenge Making III OPAC a Source

• III is not really OpenURL enabled
• We worked with ExLibris on a kludge

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Result III OPAC is a source

• III sends ISSN/ISBN to our SFX server
• ExLibris wrote source parser
• If ISSN THEN show full-text e-journal
• If ISBN THEN show book reviews,
  ConnectNY, full-text e-book

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Challenge Making ILLiad a target

• Initial version of ILLiad OpenURL unstable
• LDAP and SSL took additional set-up
• Small number of requests too brief to be of use
  to ILL folks

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Now No full-text? User can make an ILL request

• NowILLiad 6.0 is an OpenURL server
• RIT user authenticates once
• Not registered with ILL? Will prompt
• ILL form is automatically populated with
  citation data - user clicks SEND!

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Experiences with dbase vendors

• Many vendors now know what SFX is
• More thinking about OpenURL linking
• Working with them went smoothly
• No uniformity in how they implement
• How data stored affects ability to drill
  down to article level

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Experiences with ExLibris

• Excellent, hands-on training
• Responsive support
• Willingness to work with library/vendor on
  new sources and targets
• Documentation not the kindest to the
  non-techie (or at times to the techie!)

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Other SFXers are a GREAT resource

• Willing to share!
• Helpful listserv postings
• SFX-MetaLib Users Group at www.smugnet.org

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was clicked..
12,500 times in first 8 weeks of launchwith NO
advertising!
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Services users are requesting
Full-text 39 Catalog searches 36 Google
searches 10 ILLiad requests 9 Book
reviews 5
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FT Targets ranked by use
ProQuest Periodical Abs II 21 Ebsco Academic
Search Elite 20 Ebsco Business Search
Premiere 15 Elsevier Science Direct 10 ProQu
est ABI Global 9
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Training not much!

• Two library staff sessions
• Librarians mention it in instruction classes
• Users finding and getting it w/o us!

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Advertising has been low key

• Tent cards at library PCs
• Advertising in library and our web site
• Blurb in campus rag
• Library liaisons spreading word

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Ongoing Maintenance of SFX

• Electronic Resources Librarianupdates 4
  hours/monthtroubleshooting 2 hours/month
• Unix/Web Server Asst. Administratorupdates 1
  hour/monthbackups 2x week, 15 min _at_
  (scripted)
• Head of LTS and Software Specialistas needed

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Whats Next

• Exploring Endnote as a target
• Do we need to keep Serials Solutions?
• Setting up journal locator
• Set up Metalib featuring SFX links