Setting up OpenURL links from search results
Connecting your database search results to an ILL request form can automatically populate the bibliographic information.
How does an OpenURL link work
In most of your databases and discovery services, you can have a link or a button which will be visible for items your library doesn't own. That button can say something like 'Request from ILL' and when you have it set up to provide an OpenURL link, clicking on that button/link will send the person to your Clio request forms, where Clio will choose the appropriate form to display, and the bibliographic information will be filled in. This makes things easier for the person doing the requesting, but also makes the request easier for ILL staff to process, as the citation information is more accurate and complete.
Setting up the link
Setting up the link happens with your database/discovery providers - you'll need to tell them that you'd like an OpenURL link for items where you don't have access.
The OpenURL has two parts - one that's specific to your Clio application and one that's part of the standard. The database provider will need to know the first part when they set up your links - it's often called the 'base url'. It just means the page where Clio will receive the information.
There are two versions of the patron application - if you have the version which uses .aspx pages, contact Clio support for your base url. Otherwise check the OpenURL preference item in the setup area for your base url.
The OpenURL has two parts - one that's specific to your Clio application and one that's part of the standard. The database provider will need to know the first part when they set up your links - it's often called the 'base url'. It just means the page where Clio will receive the information.
There are two versions of the patron application - if you have the version which uses .aspx pages, contact Clio support for your base url. Otherwise check the OpenURL preference item in the setup area for your base url.
Testing the link
Once you have the base url you can create test OpenURLs yourself, to see how the feature works, by adding a couple standard OpenURL fields onto the base url, just the way your databases will.
If my base url is https://myclio.cliohosting.com/NewRequest/Create then a test link would look like https://myclio.cliohosting.com/NewRequest/Create?title=War+and+Peace&author=Leo+Tolstoy There are two versions of the OpenURL stanard and the other one looks like https://myclio.cliohosting.com/NewRequest/Create?rft.title=War+and+Peace&rft.author=Leo+Tolstoy
Either version is OK with Clio.
If my base url is https://myclio.cliohosting.com/NewRequest/Create then a test link would look like https://myclio.cliohosting.com/NewRequest/Create?title=War+and+Peace&author=Leo+Tolstoy There are two versions of the OpenURL stanard and the other one looks like https://myclio.cliohosting.com/NewRequest/Create?rft.title=War+and+Peace&rft.author=Leo+Tolstoy
Either version is OK with Clio.
Capturing the information
When Clio sees bibliographic information in its links, it first looks up each parameter (such as rft.title or title from our example) in a list which tells Clio which field Clio should use to capture the information - in this case it's Clio's Title field.
Then Clio looks on the request form to see if Clio's Title field is anywhere on the form. If it is, then Clio puts the title from the URL into the Title field on the request form.
This means that if you want Clio to capture the information, you need to have the appropriate Clio field on the request form. For a field like 'doi', where you might not want to clutter up the form with a text box for that field, you can use a hidden Clio field instead. That way, Clio gets the information, but the person using the request form doesn't have to see it (and can't mess it up).
Then Clio looks on the request form to see if Clio's Title field is anywhere on the form. If it is, then Clio puts the title from the URL into the Title field on the request form.
This means that if you want Clio to capture the information, you need to have the appropriate Clio field on the request form. For a field like 'doi', where you might not want to clutter up the form with a text box for that field, you can use a hidden Clio field instead. That way, Clio gets the information, but the person using the request form doesn't have to see it (and can't mess it up).
Adjusting the process
Clio will make its best guess as to the appropriate request form to use, based on the bibliographic information it receives, but if that guess isn't always right, Clio support can help adjust this process.
Clio support can also help if you want to adjust how Clio maps OpenURL-fields to Clio-fields. We can add new fields or change which Clio field to use. If your database is sending duplicate information we can also help Clio ignore the duplication.
Clio support can also help if you want to adjust how Clio maps OpenURL-fields to Clio-fields. We can add new fields or change which Clio field to use. If your database is sending duplicate information we can also help Clio ignore the duplication.