SFX is a linking service that enables direct access to the full-text of an electronic journal article (if available) from a citation or reference in an online database. It also provides links to additional electronic resources, such as other library catalogues.

EBSCO ^ Many WIU Library databases offer direct SFX support. When you find a record in one of these databases, click on the "Find It!" icon: . This will open a window with a menu of service options. For example, in EBSCO's Professional Development Collection (shown at right), the "Find It!" button will appear in your initial list of search results.

SFX creator creates self-extracting executables from zipfiles. The self-extractors are cross-platform, in JAR format, so with a Java runtime they can be launched from any operating system. Create SFX once, run anywhere!

The SfxModule is use to create self-extracting zip files instead of regular zip files, The binaries contain all the code necessary to unzip files and display their user interface. No external DLLs, support DLLs, components or applications are required to run self-extracting zip files. The 32-bit Module, which works on all Windows 95 (and up) operating systems running on Intel 386-compatible CPUs.

When an information resource is being accessed from within any authorized location of the Max Planck Society, all appropriate MPG/SFX Services will be functional for all users. When connecting to the same information resource from a location outside the registered IP-ranges (if permissible) MPG/SFX Services will also be presented; however, they will not necessarily be functional, since many target databases, catalogs and full text repositories restrict access to registered IP-ranges only.

SFX uses the OpenURL standard. The OpenURL is a protocol for interoperability between an information resource and a service component that offers localized services in an open linking environment. It is in effect an actionable URL that transports metadata, or keys to access metadata, for the object for which the OpenURL is provided. The target of the OpenURL is the user's institutional service component (ISC). The remainder of the OpenURL transports the object's metadata.