Post on 11-Jan-2016
description
Link Resolvers and the Serials Supply Chain
A UKSG-funded research project undertaken by Scholarly Information StrategiesPresented by: James Culling, Online Project Manager, Oxford University Press
Briefing Session at UKSG Annual Conference, Warwick 2007
Publicising the results of this study
UKSG conference briefing sessionsSummary article in Serials – July 2007Full report available from UKSG website following article publication
Agenda
Industry contextProject contextMethodologyResults
Description of the supply chainIssues and barriersRecommendationsA centralised alternative
Summary of findingsWhere next?
Industry context
A&I database Publisher site
Article/Chapter
Book or Journal Table of Contents
Book or Journal Title Homepage
Knowledge Base
OpenURL Link-to Syntax
Link Resolver Service Menu
Source Target
Project context
“…just because full-text finding tool vendors update their products regularly does not mean that the lists are actually up-to-date, because full-text finding tool vendors get updates from content providers who have various updating schedules and practices, and thus are of varying quality.”
Chen, X. “Assessment of Full-Text Sources Used by Serials Management Systems, OpenURL Link Resolvers, and Imported E-Journal MARC Records.” Online Information Review 28.6 (2004): 428-434. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14684520410570553>
Project context
Wakimoto, J.C, Walker, D.S, and Dabbour, K.S. “The Myths and Realities of SFX in Academic Libraries”. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 32.2 (2006): 127-136. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2005.12.008>
“…the quality of the service could vary widely depending on the accuracy and completeness of the SFX KnowledgeBase. The library has a staff member who “knows better than the vendors do what is in their own databases”, noting that San Marcos reports roughly 30 errors per month back to Ex Libris. Therefore, it took more time to maintain the KnowledgeBase than initially thought.”
Project context
Study objectives:Understand present “distributed” supply chain• Expectations, roles, relationships
Establish what is not working wellConsider how to address issues• Practical steps, best practice, role of standards
in accelerating/automating data transfer
Consider alternative “centralised” model• Enthusiasm for it? Who might contribute?
Methodology
Stakeholder interviewsPublishers and other content hostsLink resolver vendorsLibrariansSubscription agentsOthers
List serv mailings (targeting librarians)Online survey of librarians
Description of the supply chain
Publishers/Content Hosts
Subscription Agents
Link Resolver Supplier*
Master KB
Supplier Hosted
Resolver
Library Hosted
Resolver
Library
Content packages
Pull
Push
Pull
Push Internal
Library Systems
Holdings / subs files
Requested by library
or
either
Requested by library
* There are a number of resolver suppliers building their own proprietary Knowledge Bases (KBs) for the market
Description of the supply chainStakeholder Knowledge Base Supply
Chain Role(s)Relationship With Stakeholder’s
Expectation of Relationship
Publisher / Content Host
To make collection data description available to Link Resolver Supplier.
Link Resolver Supplier
That Link Resolver Supplier will process/upload data in a timely fashion and distribute on to the Library.
Where relevant, to make subscription files/holdings details available to Library for use in customising the Publisher/Content Host’s knowledge base target to reflect local conditions.
Library That library will request/download data as and when it needs it.
To provide details of a suitable inbound linking syntax for delivering Library users to the content (Target).
Link Resolver Supplier
That Link Resolver Supplier will configure its system to utilise the linking syntax for users connecting to the Publisher/Content Host’s material.
Where relevant, to provide details of OpenURL support (Source).
Link Resolver Supplier and Library
That Link Resolver Supplier will check its system integrates satisfactorily and that Library will enable OpenURL linking on the Publisher/Content Host’s web site for its users.
Stakeholder Knowledge Base Supply Chain Role(s)
Relationship With Stakeholder’s Expectation of Relationship
Description of the supply chain
Complexities…Publisher products not sold through agentsResolver suppliers outsourcing KB workInterplay of library systems – data staging postsConsortia KB and institution KBWho does the KB localisation?Can libraries create KB content themselves?Libraries as suppliers of KB data to resolvers
Interaction with CrossRefInteraction with Google Scholar
Issues and barriersLack of awarenessLack of co-operationInaccurate and incomplete dataContent package issuesJournal title changes and transfersResponsibility for data qualityLack of data standardsTiming issuesInbound linking issuesOpenURL issuesRole of the subscription agentBroadening of knowledge bases
Recommendations
Areas for a code of practice:Knowledge base compliance for publishers and content hostsKnowledge base compliance for subscription agentsKnowledge base compliance for link resolver suppliersOpenURL compliance for content providers
Recommendations
ONIX for Serials Online Holdings (SOH)Web services and ONIX SOH
SUSHI equivalent?
There is a need for experimentationContent providers Link resolversSubscription agents Link resolvers
A centralised alternative
Appeals to many content providers and librariansBut quality assurance task is a significant barrier to entryCosts are not insignificant – investment from where?And competing with existing players
= Does not seem viable
Summary of findings
Complex/dependent nature of present supply chainKey issues:
Lack of understanding and co-operationLack of clarity and transparency over requirements, including data formats/structuresKnowledge base compliance overlooked as an issue in the industry
A code of practice (similar to COUNTER) would help address problems in the short termExperimentation with XML feeds needed for accelerating and automating data exchanges
Where next?
What is UKSG doing with the research results?
Next steps will be finalised at UKSG board meeting in May
When and where will findings be published?
Summary article in July issue of SerialsFull report available on UKSG website thereafter