SFX was the first OpenURL

OpenURL

OpenURL is a standardized format of Uniform Resource Locator intended to enable Internet users to more easily find a copy of a resource that they are allowed to access...

 link resolver or link server. It remains the most widely-used OpenURL resolver, being used by over 1,500 libraries.

Librarians Herbert van de Sompel

Herbert van de Sompel

Herbert Van de Sompel is a Belgian librarian and computer scientist, most known for his role in the development of the Open Archives Initiative and standards such as OpenURL, Object Reuse and Exchange, and the OAI Protocol for Metadata Harvesting....

, Patrick Hochstenbach and their colleagues at Ghent University

Ghent University

Ghent University is a Dutch-speaking public university located in Ghent, Belgium. It is one of the larger Flemish universities, consisting of 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members. The current rector is Paul Van Cauwenberge.It was established in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands...

in Belgium developed the OpenURL framework from 1998 to 2000. At that time they called it by the working title Special Effects (SFX). As part of the OpenURL development, they implemented the linking server software called SFX server. In early 2000, Ex Libris, Ltd acquired the SFX server software from Ghent University. Ex Libris re-engineered the software and marketed it to libraries as an autonomous component of the OpenURL framework.

Ex Libris continues to develop the software and add enhancements recommended by its customers. SFX is the most widely-known OpenURL link server within the library and scholarly publishing community, and occasionally the product name has been used as a generic term for OpenURL link servers.

Further reading

• Chrzastowski, Tina E, Michael Norman, Sarah Elizabeth Miller (2009). "SFX statistical reports: a primer for collection assessment librarians". Collection Management. 34 (4): 286-303.
• Cummings, Joel and Ryan Johnson (2003). "The use and usability of SFX: context-sensitive reference linking." Library Hi-Tech. 21 (1): 70-84.
• Lagace, Nettie (2003). "The OpenURL and SFX Linking". The Serials Librarian 44 (1/2): 77–89.
• Masuda, Yutaka (2002). "OpenURL and SFX – Current Awareness". No. 274 (2002.12.20) CA1482 ISSN 0387-8007 Published by National Diet Library
• Wakimoto JC, Walker DS, Dabbour KS (March 2006). "The myths and realities of SFX in academic libraries". Journal of Academic Librarianship 32 (2): 127-136.
• Walker, Jenny (May 2002). "SFX sets the Standard for Open Linking for Libraries". Library Hi-Tech News 19 (4).
• Walker, Jenny (2003). "OpenURL and SFX Linking". The Serials Librarian 45 (3): 87–100. Haworth Press, Birmingham, N.Y.