The document presents an overview of the evolution and challenges of linking integrity in electronic resources, specifically discussing the OpenURL framework and its components like KEV (Keys and Encoded Values). It highlights the limitations and failures associated with OpenURL linking, introduces Index-Enhanced Direct Linking (IEDL) as a solution, and emphasizes the importance of adhering to standards like KBART and PIE-J for maintaining effective access to content. Additionally, it outlines strategies for improving link reliability and the potential for future tools to enhance linking practices in libraries.

1. Discovery and linking integrity:
do we need to talk about KEV?
Dom Benson
Electronic Resources Librarian
Brunel University London
UKSG Breakout Session - Group D
12 April 2016 4 PM
13 April 2016 11 AM

2. Or room 404

3. Brunel Library’s context
Medium-sized university in west London
2004 TDNet Journal Manager (A to Z list)
2008 Webfeat federated search, 360 Link
2011 Summon discovery, same link resolver
2015 Summon 2.0, 360 Link 2.0
2016 Full review of systems

4. What is OpenURL Linking?
ANSI/NISO Z39.88-2004 (R2010) The OpenURL
Framework for Context-Sensitive Services
Originally developed from 1998 onwards by Herbert Van
de Sompel and Patrick Hoshstenbach at Ghent University,
eventually leading to the release of SFX (now an Ex Libris
product)
The following slides from Herbert Van de Sompel’s Harvard presentation are
available on the web at:
http://public.lanl.gov/herbertv/presentations/OpenURL-hvds.ppt
two slides used here, with thanks!

5. Z39.88-2004
The OpenURL Framework
for
Context-Sensitive Services
Herbert Van de Sompel
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Thanks for the nice slides:
Oliver Pesch
Chief Architect, EBSCO Publishing

6. KEV ContextObject, Inline OpenURL
HTTP Transport
http://lib.example.edu/resolver.cgi
http://lib.example.edu/resolver.cgi?
url_ver=Z39.88-2004&
url_tim=2003-10-25&
url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&
http://lib.example.e
du/resolver.cgi?
url_ver=Z39.88-
2003&
url_tim=2003-10-
25&
url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/
fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&
Referent
Resolver
Referrer
Administrative
rfr_id=info:sid/InfoSource.com&
rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal
rft.genre=article&
rft.title=Journal of Banking and Finance&
rft.issn=0378-4266&
rft.date=2000-03&
rft.volume=24&
rft.issue=3&
rft.spage=395&
rft.aulast=Narayanan&
rft.aufirst=Ranga&
rft.atitle=Insider Trading and the Voluntary
Disclosure of Information by Firms&
res_id=http://lib.example.edu/resolver.cgi
ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&
ctx_tim=2003-10-26&

7. What is KEV?
KEV stands for Keys and (URL-)Encoded Values
XML is an alternative
These entities serialise the ContextObject in an URL
with the metadata packaged up inline to provide an
OpenURL link to transport the user to an
appropriate copy (if available)
Part of the NISO Z39.88-2004 standard, also known
as OpenURL 2.0

8. Do we need to talk about KEV?
Yes!
• In many cases the appropriate copy is still
obtained via OpenURL linking using KEV or XML
• However, some discovery targets are now
reached via an alternative method, Index-
Enhanced Direct LinkingTM
or IEDL, because
OpenURL linking is prone to failure for a number
of reasons, as we shall see later...

9. What is Index-Enhanced Direct LinkingTM
?
IEDL technology is employed as an enhancement to
360 Link
It works alongside OpenURL-based linkers
Underpinned by an authoritative knowledgebase
To return verified links to the content from different
sources
Thereby increasing the probability of a successful
link

10. IEDLTM
in a nutshell

11. A bit more on IEDL
. Deployed on both Summon’s unified index and on 360 Link
. Eliminates potential OpenURL failure points by avoiding
common metadata mismatches between referring sources
and targets
. Authoritative knowledgebase constantly updated with
provider-specific metadata
. IEDL links provide direct, unmediated, verified, one-click
access to more than half a billion journal articles, ebooks,
digital collections and other content types thereby increasing
the probability of a successful link
. Similar idea to EBSCOhost’s SmartLinksTM
technology

12. Discovery in practice
So much for the theory, there follows some
examples of:
• Discovery, Summon 2.0
• 360 Link 2.0, with right hand helper window

13. Discovery in practice

14. Example 1: Link 2.0 OpenURL
Record 3: ScienceDirect
Morales, M.J., Figueiredo e Silva, Rosaline C, Lobato, L.M., Gomes, S.D., Gomes, C.C.C.O. & Banks,
D.A. 2016, "Metal source and fluid–rock interaction in the Archean BIF-hosted Lamego gold
mineralization: Microthermometric and LA-ICP-MS analyses of fluid inclusions in quartz veins, Rio
das Velhas greenstone belt, Brazil", Ore Geology Reviews, vol. 72, pp. 510-531.
http://cm7ly9cu9w.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-
2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-
8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.ge
nre=article&rft.atitle=Metal+source+and+fluid%E2%80%93rock+interaction+in+the+Archean+BIF
-hosted+Lamego+gold+mineralization%3A+Microthermometric+and+LA-ICP-
MS+analyses+of+fluid+inclusions+in+quartz+veins%2C+Rio+das+Velhas+greenstone+belt%2C+Br
azil&rft.jtitle=Ore+Geology+Reviews&rft.au=Morales%2C+Milton+J&rft.au=Figueiredo+e+Silva%2
C+Rosaline+C&rft.au=Lobato%2C+Lydia+M&rft.au=Gomes%2C+Sylvio+D&rft.date=2016-01-
01&rft.issn=0169-1368&rft.eissn=1872-
7360&rft.volume=72&rft.spage=510&rft.epage=531&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016%2Fj.oregeorev.201
5.08.009&rft.externalDBID=n%2Fa&rft.externalDocID=10_1016_j_oregeorev_2015_08_009&par
amdict=en-UK

15. Example 1: OpenURL with 360 Link 2.0

16. Example 2: IEDL permalink
http://brunel.preview.summon.serialssolutions.com/#!/search?bookMark=ePnHC
XMw42JgAfZbUxkgE4iGBpb6nq6-
zpDBC9AUGLABzwzqPVuAjiY3tozggA2IGIC2aBoacTK0BOQkgrb4KABbbQrp-
TkpigoawF61QhJoREtTQVehPCOxRCEHWBAA40UB6AAF6KCFQi58xYgC-
M4FBdAWDQVgIQcaalMAnf-
rUIBYjq8ADMXcYoXMPAVgU0sB3IkE2Qrag5Voz82g4uYa4uyhC7pyJb4AcvJDvAG4T
WVmApqNTE1NTDUmWpkCNmXQ8IgvSEkzBgAW5l6P
Record 1: IEEE Xplore
Hancock, D.J. 2005, "Playing for gold! (and black) - what lessons can project
management learn from extreme high performance teams in the sporting
arena?", Proceedings. 2005 IEEE International Engineering Management
Conference, Sept. 11-13 2005, pp. 324.
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.ezproxy.brunel.ac.uk/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=15591
44&tag=1

17. Best practice for multiplatform copies
Special
DOI
landing
page!

18. The publisher’s perspective
Over to
Julie Zhu
Discovery Service Relations Manager
IEEE

19. Linking integrity
Some not so good examples showing linking failures due
to bad metadata, poor publisher transfers, title changes,
lack of linkers at the link resolver or OpenURL compliance
at the publisher’s end, and so on
• Broken links
• Link rot
Literature indicates a failure rate of between 5% - 30% (or
higher) depending on the content type and target –
Trainor and Price agreed with the latter figure in their
Library Technology Report

20. Broken links
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

21. Link 2.0 special case:
Ebooks at EBSCOhost

22. Broken links

23. Broken links
http://brunel.preview.summon.serialssolutions.com/#!
/search?ho=t&l=en-UK&q=PIE-
J,%20Presentation%20and%20Identification%20of%20E
-Journals:%20what%E2%80%99s%20the%20point%3F
Record 1 fails, record 2 is okay

24. Example – no OpenURL compliance
following transfer?
Insights – the UKSG journal has transferred from the defunct MetaPress
platform:
http://cm7ly9cu9w.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-
2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-
8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev
:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Key+Issue%3A+PIE-
J%2C+Presentation+and+Identification+of+E-
Journals%3A+what%27s+the+point%3F&rft.jtitle=Insights&rft.au=Regina+Ro
mano+Reynolds&rft.date=2013-11-
01&rft.pub=United+Kingdom+Serials+Group+%28UKSG%29&rft.eissn=2048-
7754&rft.volume=26&rft.issue=3&rft.spage=311&rft.externalDocID=3137124
011&paramdict=en-UK
to Ubiquity Press (Open publishing platform) at:
http://insights.uksg.org/articles/10.1629/2048-7754.72/

25. Left hand frame fails to load – open in
new tab

26. Example – another transfer problem
http://brunel.preview.summon.serialssolutions.com/#!/search?ho=t&l=en-
UK&q=Broken-
Link%20Reports%20from%20SFX%20Users:%20How%20Publishers,%20Vendo
rs%20and%20Libraries%20Can%20Do%20Better
Record 1: Chen, X. 2012, "Broken-Link Reports from SFX Users: How
Publishers, Vendors and Libraries Can Do Better", Serials Review, vol. 38, no.
4, pp. 222.

27. OpenURL failure: rft.pub mismatch
http://cm7ly9cu9w.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-
2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-
8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev
:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Broken-
Link+Reports+from+SFX+Users%3A+How+Publishers%2C+Vendors+and+Libra
ries+Can+Do+Better&rft.jtitle=Serials+Review&rft.au=Chen%2C+Xiaotian&rft.
date=2012-12-01&rft.pub=Elsevier+B.V&rft.issn=0098-7913&rft.eissn=1879-
095X&rft.volume=38&rft.issue=4&rft.spage=222&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016%2F
j.serrev.2012.09.002&rft.externalDBID=BSHEE&rft.externalDocID=311408599
&paramdict=en-UK
Article now resides at:
http://www-tandfonline-
com.ezproxy.brunel.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.1080/00987913.2012.10765470

28. Link Rot
SEO: Avoiding link rot with your aging website . Available at: http://www.elite-
strategies.com/avoiding-link-rot-website/
(Accessed: 4/10/2016 2016).

29. Link Rot
"You may not realize it but in websites all over the world, backlinks
are rotting faster than a honey tomato in the bottom drawer of
your refrigerator.
"...[the] website now has several “broken links” and has lost some
SEO value. This is link rot in its purest and most simple form.
"In short, link rot is generally frowned upon because:
• it can cause confusion / annoyance
• bad for UX in general
• could lead to ranking issues
• lost customers, they might go somewhere else"
SEO: Avoiding link rot with your aging website . Available at: http://www.elite-strategies.com/avoiding-link-rot-website/
(Accessed: 4/10/2016 2016).

30. Another poor example of a transfer
Journal of Energy Institute
http://brunel.preview.summon.serialssolutions.co
m/#!/search?ho=t&rf=PublicationDate,*:2013-12-
31&l=en-
UK&q=%28PublicationTitle:%28Journal%20of%20E
nergy%20Institute%29%29
The DOIs for articles published prior to 2014 are
dead ends at Ingenta Connect

33. What does the evidence say?
"Mind the Gap", Waterloo station, on the Bakerloo line of the London Underground.
Date June 2008 Source Own work (Photo personnelle) Author Clicsouris Available at:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bakerloo_line_-_Waterloo_-_Mind_the_gap.jpg
(Accessed: 4/10/2016 2016).

34. Is IEDL closing the gap?
• Investigated the top 100 queries from 2015
• Linked to the first two online items per query
• Noted linking for IEDL / OpenURL / failure per
database target

35. Results – OpenURL or mixed linking

36. Results – IEDL only targets

37. Findings
While only a small sample, the 200 data points show:
• IEDL seems to be reducing the rate of linking failure
• Some targets may employ both forms of linking
• Discovery and IEDL may promote ebook usage
• OpenURL linking failure to certain content types,
open access targets (DOAJ and World Bank), and
and aggregated databases is still prevalent

38. What else can be done?
• Optimise your subscribed content (KB+ ++)
• Report every instance of a bad link to
provider /publisher
• Push for all standards and recommendations
underpinning discovery and linking to be
implemented – such as IOTA, KBART, PIE-J…

39. To be or not to be?
Keeping track of title changes is one of the key
components of KBART
There follows an example where a title change is
not tracked by a publisher
Leading to a confusion of which ISSN should be
passed in the OpenURL outbound link
Leading to a linking failure on the inbound link

40. To be or not to be? 2
This runs counter to the PIE-J standard
The publisher stated CONSER rules do not
require minor title changes to be tracked
Up to 2009: European Journal of Housing
From 2010: International Journal of Housing
PIE-J should trump CONSER to maintain best
practices for presentation of ejournals

41. PIE-J recommendations
• Journal title and citation information
• Title changes and title history
• ISSN
• Enumeration and chronology systems
• Publication information
• Access to content
• Preservation of content digitised from print

42. KBART holdings - no variant title or entry for
European Journal of Housing Policy

43. Can lead to confusion…

44. …or even a broken link

45. And finally…
Future steps / tools:
• Use LibX to enable linking via COinS (Context in Spans –
builds links via ISSN, ISBN, DOI, PMID, etc – see also Jill
Grogg’s Innovative uses of the OpenURL; Cindi Trainor’s and
Jason Price’s The future of OpenURL linking: adaptation and
expansionn)
• IEDL from traffic analysis of broken links (developed by
Gordon Welchman at Bletchley Park, also developer of early
cloud applications)
• Future proof your OpenURL resolver: UK institutions should
register on the OpenURL Router at JISC Edina (see also OCLC
OpenURL Registry / WorldCat Registry)

46. LibX toolbar for Chrome and Firefox
Built with the edition builder developed by Annette Bailey and Godmar Back at: http://libx.org/

47. COinS 1 – Summon’s
right hand pane links out via DOI

48. COinS 2 – LibX add-on puts COinS links
onto Link 2.0 right hand helper frame
Before LibX add-on installed After

49. COinS 3 – extending Link 2.0
LibX JournalTOCs LibX DOI lookup

50. OpenURL Router registry at JISC Edina

51. Sources and resources
Chen, X. ‘show hidden excel cellBroken-Link Reports from SFX Users: How Publishers,
Vendors and Libraries Can Do Better’ Serials Review, 38(4) 222-227.
Grogg, J.E. 2006 'Innovative Uses of the OpenURL', Library Technology Reports, 42(1),
pp. 35.
Hirst, T. 2011, Another blooming look at Gource and the Edina OpenURL data.
Available at: https://blog.ouseful.info/2011/06/08/another-blooming-look-at-gource-
and-the-edina-openurl-data/ (Accessed:12/4/2016).
JISC. KB Plus public export. Available at: https://www.kbplus.ac.uk/kbplus/publicExport
JISC Edina. About the OpenURL Router. Available at: http://openurl.ac.uk/doc/
(Accessed:12/ 4/2016).
Klemperer, K. Best practices for presentation of e journals part 2. Charleston
Conference, 4 Nov., 2011. Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/twissbrooks/best-
practices-for-presentation-of-e-journals-part-2 (Accessed: 12/4/2016)

52. Sources and resources
NISO. ANSI/NISO Z39.88-2004 (R2010) The OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive
Services. Available at:
http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/project/details.php?project_id=82
OCLC Research. OpenURL Registry. Available at:
http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/registry.html
Trainor, C. and Price, J. (2010) 'Chapter 4: the future of OpenURL linking: adaptation
and expansion', Library Technology Reports, 46(7), pp. 27.
Twiss-Brooks, A. Best practices for presentation of e journals part 1. Charleston
Conference, 4 Nov., 2011. Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/twissbrooks/best-
practices-for-presentation-of-e-journals-part-1 (Accessed: 12/4/2016)
Van de Sompel, H. Z39.88-2004
The OpenURL Framework for Context-Sensitive Services. Available at:
http://public.lanl.gov/herbertv/presentations/OpenURL-hvds.ppt (Accessed:
12/4/2016)

53. Questions?
Thank you!
Dom Benson
Electronic Resources Librarian
Brunel University London UB8 3PH
dominic.benson@brunel.ac.uk