[WEB4LIB] RE: cross-database search

[Oberg, Steve]

Karen et al.,
 
Just wanted to clarify that ScienceDirect is in fact OpenURL enabled.  See the following information dated June 7 of this year:
 
http://www.endinfosys.com/news/supportopenurl.htm
 
Steve
 

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: Karen Harker [mailto:Karen.Harker at UTSouthwestern.edu] 
	Sent: Fri 11/15/2002 1:42 PM 
	To: Multiple recipients of list 
	Cc: 
	Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: cross-database search
	
	

	I agree that there may be both advantages & disadvantages for
	affiliation with a vendor.  Even now, ScienceDirect (Elsevier's portal)
	still isn't OpenURL enabled, so there is no linking to full-text outside
	of Elsevier products.  Furthermore, there is the obvious danger of
	getting all your content from one source. 
	
	I think these (and probably many others) need to be weighed in light of
	your own clients' needs (our clients use Elsevier products heavily) and
	any constraints faced by your library.
	
	
	
	Karen R. Harker, MLS
	UT Southwestern Medical Library
	5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
	Dallas, TX  75390-9049
	214-648-1698
	http://www.swmed.edu/library/
	
	>>> Jim Campbell <campbell at virginia.edu> 11/15/02 12:16:12 PM >>>
	The September 15 issue of Library Journal has an excellent article by
	Mary
	Jackson on "The Advent of Portals" which spends some time discussing
	cross-database searching and has a useful list of vendors. In our
	investigations
	here I've been impressed by MuseGlobal, by Fretwell-Downing, and by
	what I've
	seen of the new Sirsi product to be released early next year, as well
	as by
	EnCompass and the ExLibris Metalib.
	
	I'm a little suspicious of claims that affiliation with a given data
	vendor make
	a product such as EnCompass more desirable. I'd be afraid they'd give
	in to the
	temptation to give an advantage to that vendor's products, or that we'd
	see in
	this new area what we've already seen in the competition among the
	database
	vendors, a refusal by one vendor to let their data play well with
	someone else's
	product.
	
	- Jim Campbell
	
	Digital Access Coordinator
	and Librarian for German
	University of Virginia Library
	Charlottesville, VA 22904-4112
	Voice: 434-924-4985  ~  FAX: 434-924-1431
	E-Mail: campbell at virginia.edu
	
	
	
	
	
	
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