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Happy 4th Anniversary! How GetFTR is evolving to meet the needs of the research community.

Back in March 2020, we launched GetFTR so that discovery tools (such as Mendeley and Dimensions), could alert researchers to content that their institution had made available to them, via subscriptions or open access.

Initially, the service started with 5 publishers providing real-time entitlement checks, and supplying smart-links to the latest version of full-text. By the end of the year, more publishers joined, making their content easier to discover and access, and 10 discovery tools started displaying GetFTR smart-links on article pages and in search results. CHORUS also came onboard using GetFTR to support open research compliance.

In 2021, as more publishers and discovery tools partnered with GetFTR, we provided them with tools to streamline onboarding so that researchers could benefit from even more GetFTR links. The same year, Publishers started to use GetFTR to signal which article references the researcher was entitled to read, improving onward journeys.

In 2022, ResearchGate and ScienceDirect started providing third-party content on their platforms, and selected GetFTR to check entitlements. GetFTR also recorded its 5 billionth entitlement check, which gives you a sense of the scale of the service.

Recent developments

Last year, we launched the GetFTR Open Access and Free service, providing access to the most up-to-date version of all open and free content registered with Crossref, including DOIs in hybrid journals. We also launched the GetFTR Browser Extension which expands the number of discovery tools that display GetFTR links. One thing we have been consistently asked about is whether GetFTR works with Google Scholar and PubMed and now we can say yes it does! Both the uptake and feedback has been good – we have seen a significant increase in entitlement checks since launch which we believe will result in increased usage for our publishers.

What’s to come?

This year we will further increase the number of GetFTR links displayed, as the GetFTR browser extension will work for any DOI on any page that’s being viewed. We are also enhancing the GetFTR service to include information that supports research integrity, informing the researcher when an article has been retracted or updated.

GetFTR Timeline

2020
Launch
- GetFTR API launches with 5 publishers conducting real time DOI-level entitlement checks
- 10 discovery tools integrate, displaying GetFTR smart-links where user entitled to full-text
Publishers add GetFTR to references
- Self-service portal fast-tracks onboarding, as more discovery tools and publishers join
- Publishers integrate on article references, providing improved onward journey
2021
2022
GetFTR Grows
- Syndicated content entitlement checks supported, used by ResearchGate and ScienceDirect
- 5 billion entitlement checks carried out
New services developed
- GetFTR OA/Free service launched, providing links to the latest version of full text
- GetFTR Browser Extension adds smart-links to additional popular discovery tools such as Google Scholar and PubMed
2023
2024
To come this year....
- The GetFTR Extension will display links for every DOI on every page where user entitled
- GetFTR will provide retraction and errata information, displayed alongside full text links
- Continue to add new publishers and discovery tools to increase the penetration and utility of GetFTR

The numbers speak for themselves

And the end of 2023 statistics show that GetFTR is indeed doing what it set out to do – to help connect researchers with the research.

5 billion DOI requests received by GetFTR from researchers using discovery tools that have integrated with GetFTR
3.8 billion DOI entitlement checks conducted by 31 publishers participating in GetFTR
1.8 billion GetFTR smart links returned to discovery tools, where institution subscription in place, or content OA or freely available
30 discovery tools display GetFTR links, including discovery tools supported by the GetFTR Browser Extension
4% GetFTR links on discovery service search results and article pages clicked by researchers to access full-text subscription and open access content
60%+ of published journal articles are now accessible via GetFTR

If you would like to find out more about how to benefit from GetFTR, either as a researcher, librarian, discovery resource, or publisher, please visit our website for more information or get in touch with our team.