Ordinary hyperlinks take people from one web page to another. LinkBatons are "links that learn" about the destinations your online patrons prefer, assisting their navigation to bookstores, shopping robots, and other libraries. LinkBatons are simple to use on any library website, adding value through personalization and localization. These user-friendly links can also generate revenue that can be directed toward your library's cash flow or to charitable organizations.

The need for digital libraries that empower their visitors is quite evident to all online librarians; however, there are many issues associated with making the right and timely decisions. Untested, one-of-a-kind projects can be costly and possibly detrimental to the very service you are trying to bolster. With over 40 years of combined experience in technology and publishing, the staff of Openly Informatics, the creators of LinkBaton, has created a truly novel technology direction for the digital library moving forward strategically and cost effectively.

Today's Internet e-commerce is fueled by identification systems such as ISBN and UPC. Anything that can be identified can be linked with a LinkBaton. LinkBaton has a deep application to electronic libraries, defined broadly. Academic and corporate libraries today obtain the majority of their electronic full text content from a variety of aggregators. Hyperlinks to these types of content from the Internet at large [have been] difficult... until now. Soon, LinkBatons will make it possible for content sites all over the Internet to make links to a user's local library.

LinkBaton is what we call an intelligent network technology, because it lets your patrons use standard web browsers with no plug-ins needed. There's no software to install on your server, either. By using LinkBatons on your site, you enable each visitor to have his or her own personal experience with your site. Your patrons will be able to purchase books online or browse book-related content from more than 30 different services (Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Borders, etc.) using your library as a portal. Each time a user clicks on a LinkBaton, the LinkBaton system remembers what he or she likes and invisibly directs the user to a book specific page at the destination they used previously. Users can change their selected destinations at any time.

Benefits for your library's website:

• Turns your catalog into a Portal for Books
• Generates revenue through affiliate programs
• Promotes site usage
• Creates a personalized browsing experience
• Increases perceived site value
• Enhances site capabilities
• Easy to implement
• Free technical support
• Next generation linking technology
• Links to... Book Stores, Shopping Services, and Other Libraries
• Gives users control over their link destinations
• Supports user preferences
• Accelerates navigation
• No plug-ins required
• No registration needed
• No personal data is collected
• Saves time for webmasters and visitors
• Open, non-proprietary syntax