DOIs: Digital Object Identifiers
A DOI, or Digital Object Identifier, is a unique alphanumeric string assigned to a document—such as an article, report, or book—in order to persistently identify it and provide a permanent internet link to its location on the Internet. Here's an overview:
History
- International DOI Foundation (IDF) was established in 1998 to develop and implement the DOI System. The IDF is responsible for managing the DOI system, including policy, technical standards, and the registration agency network.
- The DOI concept was born out of a need to identify intellectual property in the digital environment, initially proposed by Robert Kahn of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI).
- The first DOI was assigned in 2000, marking the beginning of the widespread use of DOIs in academic publishing.
Structure and Function
- A DOI is composed of a prefix, which is assigned to the publisher or registration agency, followed by a suffix created by the publisher or agency to make the DOI unique.
- The DOI system uses the Handle System, which is a distributed computer system that manages identifiers for digital objects. This system ensures that even if a document moves or its URL changes, the DOI remains valid.
- DOIs provide a stable link to the content, which is crucial for citation purposes, as they do not change even if the content moves or changes ownership.
Benefits
- Permanence: DOIs provide a permanent identifier, reducing the problem of "link rot" where URLs change or disappear over time.
- Citation: DOIs make it easier to cite and reference digital documents accurately.
- Interoperability: They facilitate the exchange of data between systems and improve the discoverability of research.
- Usage Tracking: Publishers can track usage statistics through DOIs, which can help in understanding the impact of their publications.
Applications
- DOIs are most commonly used in scholarly publishing to identify journal articles, research reports, and other scholarly works.
- They are also used in other fields like government documents, music, and software.
- DOIs are part of the broader Persistent Identifier (PID) landscape, which includes other identifiers like URNs and ARKs.
Implementation
- Publishers or registration agencies register DOIs for their content. Each DOI must be registered with a metadata record that includes bibliographic information.
- The DOI resolves to a URL where the content can be found. This resolution process is handled by the DOI resolver system.
- DOIs can be embedded in citations, making it easier for readers to access the referenced work directly.
Standards
- The DOI system adheres to the ISO 26324 standard, which outlines the technical aspects of DOI registration and resolution.
Challenges
- There is an ongoing challenge of ensuring all digital content has a DOI, particularly for older documents or in less developed publishing sectors.
- Maintaining the accuracy of metadata associated with DOIs is also a significant task for publishers.
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