Skip to main content
  • Subscribe by RSS
  • Ex Libris Knowledge Center

    How To Report Full Text Linking and Availability Problems to Support

    • Product: Cross-Product
    • Relevant for Installation Type: All

     

    Question

    How do I report linking problems to Ex Libris Support?

    Answer

    "Linking Problems" generally refer to the following types of issues:

    • Full Text availability error
      For example, Primo shows the green "Full Text Available" indicator, but there are no links to full text in the Primo view online tab.  It can also apply if The SFX Menu or the Alma link resolver services menu present a Target link to get full text from a resource that is not part of the library's active subscriptions.
    • Full Text Delivery error
      Target links from the SFX Menu or the Alma link resolver services menu fail to connect to the correct full text article (or fail to connect to the Target provider and result in an error message).


    Full text linking and availability can be affected by a number of factors, including the metadata in the source citation, resource activations in SFX and Alma, metadata provided to our CDI (Central Discovery Index) index and to our SFX and Alma knowledge bases, and article "cataloging" differences between publisher and vendors.  


    If you are experiencing a linking or availability issue, here are some tips on how you can quickly report these issues to Support, while providing the key information Support needs to investigate.  Please open a new Case and include the following details:

     

    Starting Point

    • Did you find the article via Primo, or via another OpenURL-enabled Source?  Please identify the origin the article citation.
    • Please provide the article citation details (article title, issn/isbn, etc.) - just copy/paste into your Support Case.


    Resolver URL

    • Copy/Paste the SFX Menu URL or Alma Uresolver Services page URL into your Support Case.
    • Tip: Right click in Primo page, hit inspect, search for OpenURL, copy and paste iFrame OpenURL into case
    • If working with Primo VE, there will be no OpenURL. Copy and paste the CTO into the case. 


    What Went Wrong?

    • Did you link to the Full Text article and get an error message?  Did the resolver present you with links to full text from invalid providers?
    • Describe what you expected to happen, and what actually happened.

     

    It is also very helpful to provide support with a valid test patron login to Primo, as we cannot replicate your problem without it.  

    If you use a proxy server for off-campus access to full text resources, providing a proxy login to Support can also be helpful, especially if we need to do a deeper investigation into a possible content or metadata issue from the Target provider.

     

    Have a clear e-resource metadata issue?

    The instructions above apply specifically to linking issues (full text availability and delivery).  

    However, you may want to report specific metadata issues to our Data Services Team.  

    For example

    - An incorrect ISSN/ISBN in the SFX KB or the Alma Community Zone

    - Titles that are missing (or are no longer available) in a full text collection

    - Coverage for a title is incorrect

    You can report these issues directly to our Data Services Team:

    • Alma Customers > Submit a Case under the Alma Data Services asset
    • SFX Customers > Submit a Case under the SFX KB Asset

     

    Additional Information

     

    What Are the Common Causes of Full Text Linking Problems, and How Can Linking Be Improved?


    Article last edited: 13-OCT-2023