All of that is possible, as what you're essentially doing is running a link checker.  However, it requires YOUR work to look at all the links, as just reporting that they're functional doesn't tell you what is really there.  In fact, for many journals you'd need to drill down further, as the home page of the journal is always available, in the hopes that you'll subscribe or pay for an article.  For example clicking up  http://www.sciencemag.org/  tells you nothing, as to know if it is really working you need to drill down several levels to see an actual article (and you'll need to be sure that if it isn't available, it should be within the time period you've paid for)

dan

Lord, I never complain, never ask why, but please don't let my dream run dry
dan@riverofdata.com
Dan Lester, Boise, Idaho, USA

  ----- Original message ----------------------------------------
  From: "Hutchens, Chad" <chutchens@MONTANA.EDU>
  To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
  Received: 2/20/2007 3:21:11 PM
  Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Constantly losing E-access in the beginning of the year

  >I've been toying with the idea of doing a random access check every day.
  >Just drop a list of titles or packages (with access url's) to which you
  >subscribe into an array and have a php or perl script randomly select
  >one every day of the week and print it to a webpage where you could just
  >click on the link and go.  That way you'd be proactively checking access
  >year-round rather than reactively during problem periods.

  >In most cases I imagine all would be well and you could go on with your
  >day and other times, but less often, you'd discover a problem before it
  >became a problem.

  >Opinions?

  >Chad E. Hutchens
  >Electronic Resources Librarian
  >Montana State University Libraries
  >P.O. Box 173320
  >Bozeman, MT  59717-3320
  >(406) 994-4313 phone
  >(406) 994-2851 fax
  >chutchens@montana.edu

  >-----Original Message-----
  >From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
  >[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Andrea Serra
  >Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:52 PM
  >To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
  >Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Constantly losing E-access in the beginning of
  >the year

  >Patty,

  >I would be interested to hear how others are handling this problem. I
  >tend to check access as the confirmations come in as well as checking
  >the "worst offenders" at this time of the year but would love to hear
  >if someone's discovered a more efficient way. Of course, our
  >reference librarians and patrons will tell us if something is not
  >working but it would be nice to have a jump on it.

  >Andrea
  >Library Assistant, Electronic Serials
  >Vassar College Libraries
  >anserra@vassar.edu

  >At 04:16 PM 2/20/2007, you wrote:
  >>Hello Colleagues,
  >>
  >>Every beginning of the year (about January-March) our library loses
  >access to
  >>several online journals of which we actively subscribe.  We work
  >through a
  >>serials vendor, and they contact the publisher whenever we lose access.
  >The
  >>reason for lost access may be a  payment discrepancy, license signing
  >need,
  >>IP address question or some kind of incorrect information in the
  >publisher's
  >>record for our subscription.
  >>
  >>I know this problem of early-year lost access occurs with many
  >libraries. I
  >>would like to hear your ideas or best practices on how to avoid losing
  >online
  >>access.
  >>
  >>Some ideas that I have considered:
  >>--Requesting a letter from each publisher in December verifying that we
  >have
  >>paid for the subscription and that we will have access (we would have
  >our
  >>agent do this, but it is still time-consuming)
  >>--Requesting a refund for each day that we do not have access
  >>
  >>Please share your ideas.  I will summarize for the list.
  >>
  >>Patty Wood
  >>Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.