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SFX is a
service provided by the Library to help our researchers and
students link from database references (like SciFinder
Scholar, INSPEC, Web of Knowledge, Medline) to a copy of the
corresponding full text document.
Further SFX is designed to lead the reader to “appropriate”
full text documents, i.e., those which are licensed by the
Library for the use of students, faculty and staff. Many
databases have their own internal linking services. These
are often helpful, but in some cases the links are offered
whether or not the University of Chicago subscribes to a
particular online journal.
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These
services are also limited by the agreements between the
database producers and the journal publishers. SFX uses a
decision table which identifies not only titles that are
available full text to University of Chicago users,
regardless of the publisher, but also alternate sources for
full text, specific volumes and years of coverage, and
offers other services even when full text is not available
(e.g., a search in the online catalog for print volumes).
How does SFX work? SFX uses metadata organized in a standard
format called OpenURL. This metadata includes information
like the journal name, International Standard Serial Number
(ISSN), volume, issue, pages, and year. The metadata is
passed from databases that are SFX-aware to a local SFX
server here at the University of Chicago Library. The server
decodes the metadata and matches it to the appropriate
entries in a table of information about the Library’s online
subscriptions. An SFX services menu is generated
dynamically, offering “appropriate” choices of services to
the user. Not all databases are SFX-aware, nor are all
journal web sites structured to have links directly to the
article level from an SFX generated link. However, these
systems are undergoing constant development, with more and
more SFX-compatible resources and services being offered.
Therefore, when you are using a database and searching for
journal articles, if you see the SFX link, go ahead and
click on it! If you’re interested in learning more about
SFX, visit the SFX web site: http://www.sfxit.com There you
will find detailed technical descriptions, OpenURL standard
information and more! See page 4 for examples of how SFX
works in the databases offered by the Library to the
University community.
Here are some examples of
SFX
at work in the databases offered
by the Library to the University community:
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