Most link resolvers aren't going to know what to do with that -- they
aren't going to know that that OpenURL is meant to represent a web page,
and that the URL in rft_id should be provided to the user.
In general, identifiers in URI form are put in rft_id that are NOT meant
for providing to the user as a navigable URL. So the receiving software
can't assume that whatever url is in rft_is represents an actual access
point (available to the user) for the document.
Sadly, I'm not sure what a better solution is though. OpenURL is very
frustrating.
Jonathan
O.Stephens wrote:
I'm working on a project called TELSTAR (based at the Open University in the
UK) which is looking at the integration of resources into an online learning
environment (see http://www.open.ac.uk/telstar for the basic project details).
The project focuses on the use of References/Citations as the way in which
resources are integrated into the teaching material/environment.
We are going to use OpenURL to provide links (where appropriate) from
references to full text resources. Clearly for journals, articles, and a number
of other formats this is a relatively well understood practice, and
implementing this should be relatively straightforward.
However, we also want to use OpenURL even where the reference is to a more
straightforward web resource - e.g. a web page such as http://www.bbc.co.uk.
This is in order to ensure that links provided in the course material are
persistent over time. A brief description of what we perceive to be the problem
and the way we are tackling it is available on the project blog at
http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/telstar/2009/09/14/managing-link-persistence-with-openurls/
(any comments welcome).
What we are considering is the best way to represent a web page (or similar -
pdf etc.) in an OpenURL. It looks like we could do something as simple as:
http://resolver.address/?
&url_ver=Z39.88-2004
&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx
&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk
Is this sufficient (and correct)? Should we consider passing fuller metadata?
If the latter should we use the existing KEV DC representation, or should we be
looking at defining a new metadata format? Any help would be very welcome.
Thanks,
Owen
Owen Stephens
TELSTAR Project Manager
Library and Learning Resources Centre
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
T: +44 (0) 1908 858701
F: +44 (0) 1908 653571
E: o.steph...@open.ac.uk<mailto:o.steph...@open.ac.uk>
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