Tuesday, April 17, 2018


Dutch Universities advise patrons to use alternative ways to access journal articles, i.e. when deals (on open access) with publishers fail!

Read the news item here: http://openaccess.nl/en/events/alternative-ways-to-access-journal-articles

In my opinion, libraries should actively promote the following browser extentions to their patrons to make it easier for them to get to the fulltext of scientific publications:

- the Kopernio button (makes one-click access to subscription-based ánd open access publications much easier) http://kopernio.com Now acquired by Clarivate Analytics!

- the Unpaywall button (fast access to open access publications) http://unpaywall.org

- Google Scholar button (still finds the most "alternative versions" out there)

In addition to these tools there is also a new tool for libraries to get more grip on user's browsing activities (on ánd off-campus) ánd actively deliver usefull pop-ups connecting users with library subscriptions and services. LeanLibrary continues where current linkresolvers fail! http://www.leanlibrary.com

The best?

The "best" depends what you are looking for.....
In my experience, to have the most chance to get to the fulltext version of a scientific publication, you have to use a number of of these tools. They work supplementary. More study/testing is necessary to complete comparison. I have organised a workshop for librarians simular to the journal apps comparing workshop ;-)
No, i think Kopernio is the most interesting for libraries (with linkresolvers & off-campus access) and their patrons, because of the way it offers one-click access to articles the libraries has subscriptions to.

For smaller libraries or people not connected to libraries Google Scholar is the best (in combination with Unpaywall)

To promote Open Access Unpaywall should be probably no.1 or 2 (btw Kopernio uses also the Unpaywall api, but also other sources/methods)

Kopernio, Unpaywall and Google Scholar are free tools.
LeanLibrary requires a license (and has quite some configuration possibilities), but gives library a way to connect to users who refuse to use library portals and sources as starting point (the vast majority if you ask me!)

So, what is the extra of Kopernio if there's already sfx and off-campus access?
Linkresolvers fail, management of Knowledge Bases or holdings databases is never 100% up to date. Kopernio gives you the pdf if it gets access, even if your Knowledge Base says you should not.
Once installed in browser, registred for Kopernio, choose the right library. It then pro-actively shows you the available pdf, accessibly in one-click.
So, no sfx menu with confusing multiple holdings, no failing linkresolver with very recent materials etc, and after once logging into the off-campus access, never logging in again, due to saved credentials.
It is a "must try" experience!
I have -for my workshop "How to get the PDF" made an overview of all tools, including some question& answer section from all responsible persons of the tools.

Last thing for today: if you install Kopernio, and go the Google Scholar, activate your Library links, you can easily compare 3 tools (Scholar itself, your Linkresolver 'and Kopernio (because it offers the pdf-link already in the search result-page of Scholar (and PubMed!). So, patrons will see available pfd's already in results page, no need to click to detail page.


Related posts/presentations/workshops:

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