URL Field not filled in from OPACs

ncbaratta

I'm wondering if this is a Zotero issue or an OPAC issue. I tried three different OPACs and the URL of the record I'm adding to Zotero is never included in my record. I'm wondering if this is something the libraries have control over - or if Zotero is stopping the URL from being added.

I ask this because when I add a record from my library catalog I can click the Locate button and see the record in WorldCat, but the VIew button is grayed out so I can't get back to the OPAC where I saved the item.

The examples I tried were VuFind, MIT Libraries & Koha.

dstillman

This is by design. The URL field isn't intended to be used for database URLs, but rather for canonical URLs from the original source, e.g. the web address of a New York Times article.

Some translators save the database URL as an attached link or snapshot (the latter being particularly useful in cases where the database doesn't use static URLs), but not all of them do this currently. We can create tickets for translators that aren't doing this.

ncbaratta

Thanks for the info Dan!! In the case of VuFind & Koha they do use static URLs - is there a way around this for them? I mention this because some Koha libraries are small libraries that don't have their collections in WorldCat - which means if a patron saves a record then they won't be able to find it in their local library if the try to get to it by clicking Locate.

PS. I'm writing the documentation for Koha - so now you know why I'm asking :) I just want to make sure I document our Zotero feature properly.

dstillman

Well, the standard way around it would be to modify the appropriate Zotero translators to save links or snapshots. But it looks like VuFind, at least, uses COinS rather than relying on a dedicated Zotero translator. (I don't get the Zotero icon on the example library linked to from the Koha site, but I assume it's using COinS or another embedded format.)

We'd be happy to write specialized translators for VuFind and Koha that parsed COinS and saved links or snapshots. It's also possible that we could modify the COinS translator to rely on some arbitrary (or existing) parameter in the COinS value to indicate that as desired behavior, and then publish that as a recommended convention. Not sure what exactly it would be, but someone more familiar with COinS might be able to suggest something.

ncbaratta

Koha is also using COinS, but right now the demo site needs to be upgraded. This sounds awesome! I'll tell the Koha developers and maybe they'll have some ideas.

oleonard

The wheels of progress grinding slowly here... Is there not an appropriate way to embed a link for use by Zotero? I'm trying to sift through information about the spec. I found this at http://ocoins.info/cobgbook.html:

It's strongly recommended that you add a "referrer id" to say who made the ContextObject. Do it like this:
rfr_id=info:sid/<your-domain>:<your-id>

If you have a doi or a url for the thing you're describing, you can add them like this:
rft_id=info:doi/<the-url-encoded-doi>
rft_id=http://<the-rest-of-the-url-encoded-url>

Is the "referrer id" necessary if the embedded data is coming from the "official source" (i.e. the citation is for a catalog record, and is coming from the catalog itself).

Do we simply need this addition? (encoded of course, but for instance:)

rft_id=http://search.myacpl.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?bib=219818

gmcharlt

Koha also supports unAPI in addition to COinS, and it appears that Zotero will refer unAPI to COinS if both are present. All of that said, is there a MODS construct that Zotero would recognize for generating a saved link?