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About Us > FAQs

SFX FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

  1. What is SFX?
  2. Where can I use SFX?
  3. Who can use SFX?
  4. Why didn't I get a full text link for my article?
  5. Why is there more than one option for full text for some journals?
  6. While in a literature database, I clicked on "Full text available via...", but I only got to the journal's home page. Why?
  7. Why did I get no hits when I clicked on "Check availability in MIT Libraries' Barton Catalog"? I'm sure MIT must own this - what happened?
  8. What do I do when I get a "bad URL" or "Error 404", or some other "not found" message?
  9. What is the technology behind SFX?
  10. What is the MIT Libraries' OpenURL resolver address?
  11. Who do I contact for additional help or for answers to questions about SFX?

 

1. What is SFX?

SFX is an link resolver that helps you connect from our online tools, like the Barton catalog or literature databases, to the full text of items which are often in a different location online, like e-books and journal articles.  The letters “SFX” used to stand for “special effects,” but now they are just the product name.

SFX may also offer other services, such as requesting PDFs from our Library Storage Annex or via Interlibrary Borrowing, if MIT doesn't own the full text. 

You can see that the SFX service is available in our online tools by the appearance of special SFX buttons (see buttons below).

2. Where can I use SFX?

Barton: MIT Libraries Catalog

There are two instances of SFX in the Barton catalog, one that links to e-resources and one that enables PDF delivery from print-only collections at the Library Storage Annex.

    • E-Resources in Barton

      Click this button in Barton to access journals, e-books and more: Get this item - SFX button

    • Article Delivery from the Library Storage Annex

    Click this button in Barton to get PDFs from the Library Storage Annex: Request PDF button

Databases

Click these buttons to access SFX services in databases: SFX button and Get this item - SFX button

3. Who can use SFX?

SFX links will appear for e-resources licensed for the MIT community. These are available to anyone using computers on the MIT campus. MIT community members have off-campus access using Touchstone.

4. Why didn't I get a full text link for my article?

Possible reasons include:

    • An online full text version is not available through the MIT Libraries.
    • SFX linking has not yet been enabled for the journal your article is in.
    • Very recent articles may not yet be loaded on the publisher's web site.

In any of these cases, check Barton: MIT Libraries' catalog for print versions.

5. Why is there more than one option for full text for some journals?

There is overlap among our electronic journal collections and databases, so sometimes you will find that the full text is available from more than one source.

6 . While in a literature database, I clicked on "Full text available via...", but I only got to the journal's home page. Why?

SFX will try to get you as close as it can to the full text of the article. Often, because of the structure of the journal publisher's web site, SFX cannot link directly to full text. Sometimes the best SFX can do is to take you to the table of contents or the journal's home page, and you will have to navigate the publisher's site yourself to get to the full text. Essentially, a full text link in SFX means that full text is available, but you may have to follow a few extra links to get to it.

7. Why did I get no hits when I clicked on "Check availability in Barton: MIT Libraries' Catalog"? I'm sure MIT must own this - what happened?

The SFX option for checking availability in Barton: the MIT Libraries' catalog is a very convenient feature that works most of the time, but it isn't 100% accurate. Because of differences in cataloging and indexing practices, the search will occasionally not find materials that MIT does own. Think of SFX as a convenient shortcut most of the time, but if it turns up no results you should try searching Barton yourself. If you do not find what you are looking for, ask a librarian for help - Ask Us!.

8. What do I do when I get a "bad URL" or "Error 404", or some other "not found" message?

If the article you need is a very recent article from a journal, it's possible the article has not been loaded on the journal publisher's web site, so SFX cannot retrieve it. Unfortunately, you have to wait for the publisher to add it to their site. Another problem could be that our SFX links are not functioning properly and need to be updated. Please let us know about any problems: Ask us!

9. What is the technology behind SFX?

SFX uses the OpenURL standard. The OpenURL is a protocol for interoperability between an information resource and a service component that offers localized services in an open linking environment. It is in effect an actionable URL that transports metadata, or keys to access metadata, for the object for which the OpenURL is provided. The target of the OpenURL is the user's institutional service component (ISC). The remainder of the OpenURL transports the object's metadata. The format specification for OpenURL can be found at http://library.caltech.edu/openurl/Standard.htm

10. What is the MIT Libraries' OpenURL resolver address?

The OpenURL resolver address is: "http://owens.mit.edu/sfx_local/", version 0.1.

11. Who do I contact for additional help?

If you have questions please ask a librarian for help - Ask Us!

 

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