link resolver issues studied by UKSG

The UK Serials Group report Link Resolvers and the Serials Supply Chain (May 21, 2007) covers the components of the OpenURL resolving equation - OpenURLs, resolvers, Knowledge Bases, and a critical component: the data provided by publishers.

In a perfect world, automated and entirely correct data would flow from publishers directly into our resolver knowledge bases.  It is not a perfect world.

The report discusses some of the major issues and proposes some solutions as well as areas for further research.

One of the main things I get from it is that everyone involved needs to understand how resolvers work, and how correct data benefits everyone in the "serials supply chain," from publisher to end user.

via LiveSerials blog
with more info in LiveSerials blog posting Framework for Improving Link Resolver Systems

Comments

[Mad Librarian]

Every librarian with a link resolver should read this report! I'm in my second library position in the last two years in which I work with one major link resolver. In both positions, I have been incredibly frustrated with the accuracy, currency and organization of the KnowledgBase. I just can't understand how a product for a profession based on quality information and information organization can be allowed to be so poor! There needs to be an industry wide awareness that the technology is great, but it is nothing without the content. Librarians should demand more global solutions to link resolver KnowledgeBase problems and not just rely on the localization that my vendor, for one, pushes.