Open Access Resources · 13
records by some kind of field or tag. These fields
include source of acquisition (039), electronic loca-
tion and access (856), notes, and added entries for
title (730, 793), series (including locally created se-
ries statements) and author (usually corporate), as
well as indications in holdings records. Host item
entry (773) was used by at least one library to iden-
tify open access resources.
Link Maintenance and Usage Tracking
As with other electronic resources, records for OA
resources require ongoing maintenance. URLs in
catalog records, Web sites, and other tools quietly
become outdated every day. Almost all of the librar-
ies (90%) respond to reports from users of problems
with links and many (64%) rely on a data provider
(such as Serials Solutions) for link checking. Some
libraries (33%) use third-party software or scripts
for link checking, while others (21%) use locally
developed solutions. A few use manual checking,
ILS link checking software or some other method.
Routine link checking is not always the practice 19
respondents (28%) report that they don’t system-
atically monitor or maintain links locally.
Respondents use link checking software from in-
tegrated library system vendors such as Innovative
Interfaces and Endeavor (5 libraries), OCLC PURL
link checker software (3), Xenu (3), LinkBot (2),
JTurl (1), and LinkScan (1).
Many respondents noted that the URLs of OA
resources are less stable than those of subscription
resources and that OA resources sometimes change
from free to paid or simply disappear. OA resourc-
es can take longer than subscription resources to
resolve access problems and may be down more
frequently than purchased resources. However,
non-OA resources also require their share of link
maintenance.
Libraries can spend a great deal of time tracking
the use of resources that they purchase. Many are
also interested in the return on the investment they
make to select, process, and promote OA resources.
Slightly fewer than half of the respondents (46%)
track the usage of internally hosted OA resources a
little more than half (55%) track usage of externally
hosted OA resources. For locally hosted resources,
usage data is provided by repository software and
server logs. For other OA resources, usage data
is acquired from open URL resolvers such as SFX
from Serials Solutions, and from other sources.
Promotion
While 75% of the survey respondents report that
they don’t promote OA resources differently than
other resources, they still actively alert library us-
ers to the availability of OA resources and help staff
and users understand what they are. In addition
to simply listing OA resources in library catalogs,
many include OA resources in pathfinders or sub-
ject guides (79%). Others discuss OA resources dur-
ing instruction sessions (54%) or in newsletter ar-
ticles (48%), promote them using library Web pages
(46%), discuss them during the reference interview
(45%), and send e-mail alerts about newly available
OA resources (36%). Other methods include cam-
pus forums and contacting faculty by means of fly-
ers, meetings, etc. One respondent commented that
they must promote OA resources more than tradi-
tional resources because they are relatively new.
On the other hand, several respondents said they
promote paid resources more than OA resources
OA resources have a lower priority in general and
libraries have a hard enough time getting patrons
to use paid resources.
Conclusion
Almost all of the ARL member libraries that re-
sponded to this survey provide access to open ac-
cess literature, linking to externally hosted content
and hosting OA content on their servers. Many of
their institutions have made formal statements in
support of open access efforts and the majority of
these libraries provide financial support for exter-
nal OA resources by paying author fees, etc. Some
provide financial support for locally hosted content
that is in addition to hosting and staff time.
records by some kind of field or tag. These fields
include source of acquisition (039), electronic loca-
tion and access (856), notes, and added entries for
title (730, 793), series (including locally created se-
ries statements) and author (usually corporate), as
well as indications in holdings records. Host item
entry (773) was used by at least one library to iden-
tify open access resources.
Link Maintenance and Usage Tracking
As with other electronic resources, records for OA
resources require ongoing maintenance. URLs in
catalog records, Web sites, and other tools quietly
become outdated every day. Almost all of the librar-
ies (90%) respond to reports from users of problems
with links and many (64%) rely on a data provider
(such as Serials Solutions) for link checking. Some
libraries (33%) use third-party software or scripts
for link checking, while others (21%) use locally
developed solutions. A few use manual checking,
ILS link checking software or some other method.
Routine link checking is not always the practice 19
respondents (28%) report that they don’t system-
atically monitor or maintain links locally.
Respondents use link checking software from in-
tegrated library system vendors such as Innovative
Interfaces and Endeavor (5 libraries), OCLC PURL
link checker software (3), Xenu (3), LinkBot (2),
JTurl (1), and LinkScan (1).
Many respondents noted that the URLs of OA
resources are less stable than those of subscription
resources and that OA resources sometimes change
from free to paid or simply disappear. OA resourc-
es can take longer than subscription resources to
resolve access problems and may be down more
frequently than purchased resources. However,
non-OA resources also require their share of link
maintenance.
Libraries can spend a great deal of time tracking
the use of resources that they purchase. Many are
also interested in the return on the investment they
make to select, process, and promote OA resources.
Slightly fewer than half of the respondents (46%)
track the usage of internally hosted OA resources a
little more than half (55%) track usage of externally
hosted OA resources. For locally hosted resources,
usage data is provided by repository software and
server logs. For other OA resources, usage data
is acquired from open URL resolvers such as SFX
from Serials Solutions, and from other sources.
Promotion
While 75% of the survey respondents report that
they don’t promote OA resources differently than
other resources, they still actively alert library us-
ers to the availability of OA resources and help staff
and users understand what they are. In addition
to simply listing OA resources in library catalogs,
many include OA resources in pathfinders or sub-
ject guides (79%). Others discuss OA resources dur-
ing instruction sessions (54%) or in newsletter ar-
ticles (48%), promote them using library Web pages
(46%), discuss them during the reference interview
(45%), and send e-mail alerts about newly available
OA resources (36%). Other methods include cam-
pus forums and contacting faculty by means of fly-
ers, meetings, etc. One respondent commented that
they must promote OA resources more than tradi-
tional resources because they are relatively new.
On the other hand, several respondents said they
promote paid resources more than OA resources
OA resources have a lower priority in general and
libraries have a hard enough time getting patrons
to use paid resources.
Conclusion
Almost all of the ARL member libraries that re-
sponded to this survey provide access to open ac-
cess literature, linking to externally hosted content
and hosting OA content on their servers. Many of
their institutions have made formal statements in
support of open access efforts and the majority of
these libraries provide financial support for exter-
nal OA resources by paying author fees, etc. Some
provide financial support for locally hosted content
that is in addition to hosting and staff time.
