1. Link servers for libraries
North Carolina Serials Conference. April 2003
Jenny Walker
A year ago I would have spent this time telling you what is SFX, how does it work and why it is important for libraries and for end users. However, things have now moved on significantly in the world of linking and I am sure that you all now know about the importance of SFX linking for libraries and also for Information Providers. If not, please see me or my UK sales colleague Richard Freeman afterwards – or at our booth - or visit where you can try SFX for yourselves.
One very important recent development, though, that indicates how far we have come in the world of open linking is that the OpenURL standard which was developed by Ex Libris – and Herbert Van de Sompel – and on which SFX linking is based – has just (last month) been circulated for comment prior to the trial stage and final ratification by NISO.

2. A link server: what is it?
OPAC
Portal
e-print
A&I
Full Text
Citations
Web Form
Reference Manager

3. From citation to full text (and more)

4. Benefits of a link server
For the user:
desktop delivery of full text when available electronically
expands the research horizons
consistency and accuracy of links
For the librarian:
central administration of links (and e-journal data)
local control over what types of links are offered and to where these resolve
optimizes use of licensed resources

5. OpenURL: the enabling mechanism
First developed by Oren Beit-Arie, Ex Libris, and Herbert Van de Sompel as part of the SFX research work at Ghent University, Belgium
OpenURL now well-accepted and adopted by scholarly publishing community
On final path to NISO standardisation – see Increasing interest from other standards groups eg XML, W3C, Dublin Core
Note: OpenURL v1.0 draft has received the attention of the
“It’s so hot it even has its own theme song”
Technically Speaking By David Dorman American Libraries January 2002

6. Link servers: not just about linking…..
“We love the citation linker!
I know that this will be a controversial statement, but I suspect that the Citation Linker will replace the OPAC as the primary search point for journals.” Michelle Wilde, Colorado State University
Central repository for ejournal subscriptions:
A-Z journal title list
Citation Linker
MARC enhancement of link server ejournal records for loading into OPAC
Resource for unmediated document delivery requests
Other?

7. Link Servers: issues for consideration
Breadth and depth of underlying database
Local implementation or hosted/managed by vendor
Interoperability
Independence
Consortia support capabilities (if relevant)

8. North Carolina Serials Conference. April 2003
Jenny Walker
A year ago I would have spent this time telling you what is SFX, how does it work and why it is important for libraries and for end users. However, things have now moved on significantly in the world of linking and I am sure that you all now know about the importance of SFX linking for libraries and also for Information Providers. If not, please see me or my UK sales colleague Richard Freeman afterwards – or at our booth - or visit where you can try SFX for yourselves.
One very important recent development, though, that indicates how far we have come in the world of open linking is that the OpenURL standard which was developed by Ex Libris – and Herbert Van de Sompel – and on which SFX linking is based – has just (last month) been circulated for comment prior to the trial stage and final ratification by NISO.