Duplicate URLs in Automatic Holdings Databases

Scope: Explanation as to why Ex Libris may show a holding more than one time in the holdings list, and why a holding may include more than one URL.

Contact: Alaina Deane

Unit: Electronic Resources & Serials Acquisitions

Date last reviewed 05/09/2022

Date of next review:

In Ex Libris, you might stumble upon a title that is listed (and activated) twice in the Ex Libris knowledge base.

If you click on either of the 'Ebook Central Perpetual and DDA' records in the example above, you are brought to the same title record page.
Example:

There are two URLs on this one record:

In this example the correct URL for Duke University Libraries is the one NOT listed as the Output URL.

Thankfully, the 360 MARC record will use only the correct URL when we receive it. We just need to be careful to make sure we send the correct URL to patrons/users when sending out Rush Ebook Order notification emails. Test both URLs to find the correct URL that allows access.

You may have to take the output URL that includes the proxy prefix and replace the ending of the URL with the correct holdings URL before adding it to your notification email.  This is a known situation in Ebook Central databases, some titles are duplicated due to geographic access issues. Here is a detailed response from Ex Libris explaining reasons why this happens and why the "extra" URL can't be removed:

"In the majority of cases where we have inquired about de-duplication in the past, the ProQuest Ebooks team has told us that they cannot consolidate the records. The reason is that different libraries own the two different versions, with perpetual access to one copy or the other. So, regardless of how the duplicates came to be, we cannot de-duplicate them as a given library only has access to one or another based on their particular purchase, according to ProQuest Ebooks. The issue typically occurs when there is a change from the publisher in terms how the content can be used on the Ebook Central platform. In this case, it looks like the likely change was that one document ID has more restrictive 'print allowances' than the other one, 'print allowances' referring to how much of the eBook a user can print or save locally per day. Because some customer purchased the eBook on the platform before this change occurred, the additional document ID is created to reflect the change for the customers who purchase the eBook afterwards. Because the purchase model is perpetual rather than license-based, the customer who purchased the eBook when there were less restrictive print allowances are entitled perpetually to the version of the eBook with those less restrictive allowances."

See the following article for a solution to overcome the issues this duplication creates:
https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/360_Services/360_Core_Client_Center/0Product_Documentation/Manage_Your_Data/Client_Center%3A_The_Holdings_Details_Page/360_Core%3A_Duplicate_Holdings_in_One_Database