20 Years of Persistent Identifiers – Which Systems are Here to Stay?

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2017-009

Keywords:

persistent identifiers, semantic web, research data repositories

Abstract

Web-based persistent identifiers have been around for more than 20 years, a period long enough for us to start observing patterns of success and failure. Persistent identifiers were invented to address challenges arising from the distributed and disorganised nature of the internet, which often resulted in URLs to internet endpoints becoming invalid. Over the years several different persistent identifier systems have been applied to the identification of research data, not all with the same level of success in terms of uptake and sustainability. We investigate the uptake of persistent identifier systems and discuss the factors that might determine the stability and longevity of these systems. Persistent identifiers have become essential elements of global research data infrastructures. Understanding the factors that influence the stability and longevity of persistent identifier systems will help us guide the future development of this important element of research data infrastructures and will make it easier to adapt to future technological and organisational changes.

Author Biographies

Jens Klump, CSIRO, Mineral Resources, Perth, AU

Jens Klump is a geochemist by training and OCE Science Leader Earth Science Informatics in CSIRO Mineral Resources and is based in Perth, Western Australia. His involvement in the development of publication and citation of research data through Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) sparked further work on research data infrastructures, such as enterprise data management systems and long-term digital archives. Jens current work focuses on data in minerals exploration, looking at data capture and data analysis. This includes automated data and metadata capture, sensor data integration, both in the field and in the laboratory, data processing workflows, and data provenance, but also data analysis by statistical methods, machine learning and numerical modelling. Jens is the vice-president of the International Geo Sample Number Implementation Organization (IGSN). The organisation coordinates the development and introduction of persistent identifiers for physical specimens of research materials.

Robert Huber, MARUM, University of Bremen, Bremen, DE

Dr. Robert Huber, Geologist and Information Specialist holding a PhD in Marine Geology. He worked several years as information system architect for the aerospace industry and the renewable energy industry. Since 2002 he is employed at the Centre for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM) at the University Bremen and responsible for projects in scientific data management and IT development especially in the fields of marine observatory networks, biodiversity as well as stratigraphy at the PANGAEA working group.

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Published

2017-03-22

Issue

Vol. 16 (2017)

Section

Reviews

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