Use case 6: Downloads in machine-readable formats

Use | Make available

Description

Libraries may make records available from their OPAC in formats designed for import to end-user software, for example reference management software such as Endnote. This may be on a record-by-record basis, or all results from a search, or some other selection criteria (the intent is not to transfer records for the library’s entire holdings).

Record flow

The records flow from the institutional system to users - this is "use" as the users are within the organisation. The types of record flow are described in detail here.

Current examples

None known in library OPACs, but many publishers and indexing services provide this function.

Discussion

There is a distinction between whether the user receiving the records is a member of the institution or not. Most OPAC systems are available to all users, regardless of institutional affiliation – and this is the distinction between use and make available. Within the institution (and its members), it is use, but if the OPAC does not require authentication, it is making these records available.

The distinction between machine-readable and human-readable formats is to some extent a false one: modern software such as Zotero can directly import records from the HTML displayed by many OPAC suites.

Please note that the legal implications for your institution of this use case will depend upon your specific contractual relationships - for more information see the discussion of suppliers' and libraries' current viewpoints on what is allowable, and the legal environment. 

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