LinkFinderPlus :

1
LinkFinderPlus

• Linking Citations Abstracts
• to Online Full Text
• What we know after Year 1

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The LFP concept

• LinkFinderPlus OpenURL Link Resolver
• LFP is Endeavor Information Systems
  implementation of an OpenURL resolver.
• Some other OpenURL resolvers
• SFX from Ex Libris
• WebBridge from Innovative Interfaces
• Article Linker from Serials Solutions

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The LFP concept Definitions
The goal of a link resolver is to link a citation
or abstract to online full text from any other
available licensed or public resource.

• Anthropological Literature
• ComAbstracts
• Etc.

• ProQuest
• EBSCOhost
• ACS Publications
• Etc.

LFP at GVSU
Link resolver
AI databases Sources
Full text resources Sites containing Targets
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The LFP concept Linking

• A link resolver accepts metadata from a source
  and presents links based on logic and business
  rules administered locally
• It knows the users context and what the user
  has access to

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The LFP concept Standards
OpenURL standardizes this part of the
communication
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The LFP concept OpenURL

• OpenURL is a standard way to send metadata to a
  link resolver
• Administered by NISO
• Stakeholders
• Libraries
• Content providers
• Software developers
• OpenURL 1.0 was released as a Draft Standard in
  Nov. 2003. NISO standard Z39.88 was approved by
  voting members of NISO in 2004, and is presently
  being readied for publication.
• (additional information on the NISO website)

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The LFP concept OpenURL
An example of an OpenURL metadata string for a
journal article http//encompass.gvsu.edu?genre
articleissn10410406volume17issue4date20021
201spage8sidEBSCOaphtitleEarthIslandJourn
alatitleWarisnothealthyetcaulastpid7
505463
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The LFP concept OpenURL elements

• http//encompass.gvsu.edu?
• genrearticle
• issn10410406
• volume17
• issue4
• date20021201

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The LFP concept OpenURL elements

• spage8
• sidEBSCOaph
• titleEarthIslandJournal
• atitleWarisnothealthyetc
• aulast
• pid7505463

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The LFP concept Chain of Events

• In an OpenURL-compliant Source, e.g. Historical
  Abstracts
• a user clicks on the Full Text? button.
• An OpenURL version of the citation is sent to
  our link resolver, LinkFinderPlus,
• which matches the citation to our licensed full
  text Targets
• and presents any valid links to full text for
  the user.

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Implementing LFP

• Set up GVSUs LFP server
• In LFP Admin, activate titles available to us in
  Target databases
• Contact AI database vendors and enable OpenURL
  linking in Source databases
• Customize the LFP user interface

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Implementing LFP Enabling Sources

• Supply LFP base URL, link text, and link icon
• Base URL tells the Source where to send the
  OpenURL-formatted citation metadata
  http//encompass.gvsu.edu8888/lfp/LinkFinderPlus/
  Display
• Link text (not used by all dbs) Check for
  Full Text
• Link icon (not used by all dbs)

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LinkFinderPlus Users view in the databases
Eureka button only
FirstSearch button text link
InfoTrac text link only
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LinkFinderPlus Users view in the databases
ProQuest LFP doesnt appear on results list
and where it appears in the individual record,
we have no control over image or text choice
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LinkFinderPlus Users view in the databases
Gale LFP link appears whether or not full text
is available in the current database
This is pretty common among our databases only a
few present the LFP text link or button only when
there is no full text in the current source.
Also, the links appear in the source databases
whether or not GVSU can supply any full text
targets in other sites.
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Implementing LFP User Interface

• Customize the LFP user interface
• Use XSL and HTML to customize the LFP linking
  screen
• Configure and activate Extended Services in
  LFP Admin

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• Customizations
• applied new GVSU Libraries consistent look
  feel banner
• developed a number of Extended Services links

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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
America History Life (ABC-CLIO)
What we love to see LFP working perfectly!
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines

• Reality check
• LFP doesnt always present links
• Links presented by LFP dont always work
• You can work with this!

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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines

• It will help you to know
• OpenURLs and OpenURL resolvers are new
  technology, and they dont work 100.
• For a library our size, we are within the
  expected range of having licenses to link to full
  text for 25-35 of citations (were closer to
  25).
• You can report problems some are fixable if
  theyre brought to someones attention.
• You can expect improvements to the application
  over time.
• You can teach users all the things they can do
  from the Full Text Finder screen.

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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
ProQuest
LFP didnt find it we only have it in print.
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
Communication Abstracts (CSA)
Sometimes LFP doesnt succeed in finding a path
to online full text we actually have, as
discovered by using the Voyager ISSN link search.
Some of these can be fixed, if the failure is
reported some cant
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
MLA (FirstSearch)
LFP didnt find it but using the link to the
Serials Solutions e-journals list reveals that we
do have it online (and a Voyager title search
matches on a current print subscription, too)
E-Journals list (Serials Solutions)
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
Communication Abstracts (CSA)
LFP found a link, but there s no full text
there LFP cant yet work with the common 6-12
month publisher embargos
ProQuest
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
but the Serials Solutions E-journals list has
the embargo information.
E-Journals list (Serials Solutions)
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
America History Life (ABC-CLIO)
What we hate to see database connection errors
and other problems. Please report these!
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines

• Reporting an LFP problem is easy
• Use Snag-It to capture the LFP screen, including
  the citation
• On the Snag-It screen, use Send Mail to open an
  e-mail with your screen capture attached
• In the e-mail, indicate the database you were
  starting from, the link you had a problem with,
  and the nature of the problem, OR information
  you have about a link that should be showing
• Address your e-mail to Jeff Daniels in
  Periodicals
• If you prefer, just make a screen print of the
  LFP screen (use ctrl-p to print or use Snag-It),
  and write the additional details on the printout
  for Jeff.

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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines

• LFP Extended Services links let you
• Look in Voyager by ISSN or Title
• Enter a title search in the Serials Solutions
  list of e-journals
• Check other libraries
• Go to an ILL request form
• Send a question to the Library

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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
The Edit Citation button can be used to correct
faulty information, e.g. a typo in a volume
number or ISSN
But use with Edit Citation with caution, its
not often a successful option.
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines
If we had a link in a convenient spot, the
Add/Edit Citation Information screen could also
be used to enter citation information directly
and look for full text
Search by article citation button here?
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LinkFinderPlus On the front lines

• When you have questions
• Send e-mail to Jeff Daniels
• Check the GVSU Library Staff FAQ on
  LinkFinderPlus in My Computer, go to
  L\Policies\FAQs\FAQ_LFP.htm

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LinkFinderPlus in a nutshell,
. . . Because each vendor is unique, and they
dont all follow the new standard exactly the
same way, some links dont work, and interfaces
dont all have the same features. BUT, When
it works, it works great! it becomes a seamless
part of the databases, and simply gets people to
what they want full text on their screen.
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Acknowledgements
Significant portions of this presentation are
adapted from slides and remarks presented by
Harry Samuels, LinkFinderPlus Product Manager,
Endeavor Information Systems and NISO Committee
AX member, at an MLC OpenURL Special Program on
14 November 2003.