Understanding OpenURL standard and electronic resources: effective use of available resources

Abstract

The OpenURL standard provides a mechanism to transport metadata or identifiers of a digital item from one resource to another as well as a way to construct links in a dynamic linking environment. The OpenURL standard provides a means of integrating electronic resources. This article first describes some integration issues for electronic resources in the library and continues to discuss types of URL before giving an overview of the OpenURL standard and the OpenURL linking system, the link resolver. The major OpenURL linking products and host solution options are described, and the impact of the OpenURL standard and OpenURL linking system on library users and library services are discussed. New developments in the OpenURL standard and OpenURL linking systems are provided in the concluding section.

Citation

Zhu, Q. (2004), "Understanding OpenURL standard and electronic resources: effective use of available resources", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 38 No. 4, pp. 251-256. https://doi.org/10.1108/00330330410566088