help choosing link resolvers, etc.

[Ward Price]

We recently migrated from DRA to Innovative Millennium, and are yet to work
out all the bugs.  This week we're upgrading to Silver, in hopes that it
will fix some of the bugs, while no doubt adding others.

Now we want to get a link resolver, and then add federated searching, within
the next couple of months.  (We've already made plans to go with Serials
Solutions for our A-Z list, as I understand it.)  We've looked into SFX,
Article Linker, LinkFinderPlus, etc., for a link resolver, and MetalLib,
WebFeat, ENCompass, and others for federated searching.  I've also reviewed
the archives.

Many of you have had these products for years.  What products would you
recommend, and why, or why not?  What bugs have you had to work out?  Does
it matter if both services come from the same company, or can you mix and
match?  I know some of you use home grown products.  That's a possibility
for us, too, but I'm hesitant because we might then become dependent on the
individual who knows the code, and wouldn't have tech support from a
company.

Thanks for your help.  Happy holidays.

Ward Price


C. Ward Price    Web Librarian
University of Texas-Pan American
http://www.lib.panam.edu/
wprice at panam.edu
(956) 316-7046