By now you know that Google Scholar links to both OA and non-OA sources. When it links to a non-OA source, you learn that the source exists and that it may be relevant to your search, but you have to pay, log in to or visit your library, or turn to another means for full-text access. If your library has purchased a license to the relevant journal or database, then you have prepaid, no-fee access through the library. But so far GS is not integrated with your library so that you can't click through from the GS hit page to your library's authorized copy. Until now. Art Rhyno, a Systems Librarian at the University of Windsor, has developed a bookmarklet to build the needed bridge between GS and your licensed library resources. Quoting from his description: 'Basically, all of the links to [GS] search results get prepended with a specified web address for the library's reverse proxy. Since our web proxy is not likely to be of use to you, the idea is that you copy the bookmarklet to a web server on your own site, and change it to reflect the proxy address in use at your organization.' (Thanks to Library Cog.)
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
