At last, thanks to Anna presentation and the talk from Judith, and in-class demonstrations, I kind of know how FindIt works.
Important concepts:
Knowledgebase
OpenURL
LinkResolver
FindIt is a link resolver for OpenURLs. Its brand name is SFX, from Ex libris. Link resolvers give libraries local control over OpenURLs, by directing user to copy of resource (or target) that is subscribed to (source) by the library. When users click the FindIt button, a query is placed into a knowledgebase. The knowledgebase contains detailed information about electronic resources, and the query finds its target there. The user is directed to the electronic resource that is licensed by the UW-Madison libraries. The link can vary in granularity. Sometimes you go straight to the article, but sometimes you are just taken to the journal and must search for the article. I think if there are multiple copies available, then you are presented with a list of target providers. If no electronic resource exists, the link resolver provides a link to a MadCat query that looks for the item in library holdings.
I also now understand what a DOI (digital object indentifier) is. DOI syntax is a NISO standard, that provides a uniform way for publishers to identify material at the article level. CrossRef is the biggest repository of DOIs. DOI is used extensively in publishing and works well as an identifier in OpenURLs. However, DOI is not used as much in libraries, because it points to THE COPY--the authoritative version from the publisher, whereas libraries want to point to their own copies.
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