COSELL Roundtable - Keeping URLs Up to Date

Reported by Edward T. Hart

The one common theme was shared by participates was the growing reliance on electronic resources and the need to maintain links for the ease use for our patrons. While nearly every library still maintains a webpage listing much databases, more and more links are being included in catalogs either as links to electronic editions of print resources or as access point for an electronic only resource. Regardless where the links are, library webpage or OPAC, making sure they work is consuming more time and effort whether it is the cataloger, a serials librarian, or an IT person.

Three methods were considered during the discussion: manual entry, checking, and updating of links; use of URL checkers from library systems vendors; or other service/software obtained from a third party vendor. In the end it might take a juggling act of all three methods. A good model seems to be the use of an A-Z list service that maintains catalog records and the URL links for serial resources, URLs checkers for other resources, and human monitoring and checking as necessary. All require an investment of time, effort, and/or financial resources by the institution. All require an intelligent human interaction with technology for the best possible service to the end users.