Persistent Identifiers: A Publisher’s Perspective

1. Persistent Identifiers:A Publisher’s Perspective Cliff Morgan, John Wiley & Sons Ltd ERPANET Seminar on Persistent Identifiers University College Cork, 17-18 June 2004

2. What identifiers do we most care about? • The ISBN (EAN/UCC/UPC • The ISSN • The DOI • Maybe (in the future) the ISTC • Maybe (if major multimedia), the ISWC, ISAN, V-ISAN • PS I think of the URLas a locator, not an identifier • And I think of the DOI as an exemplar URN

3. Both the ISBN and ISSN are currently undergoing revision • The ISTC hasn’t begun to establish itself yet • The DOI is the most important persistent, actionable identifier

4. ISBN • International Standard Book Number • Was the very first international standard product identifier • Has been used successfully for over 30 years • But …

5. Reasons for revision • Although exhaustion across the board is unlikely, there is pressure on some number blocks • Global harmonization of product identifiers from Jan 2007 • Clarification required re e-versions, component parts, POD, etc.

6. Where are we? • The last stage(s) of the ISO standardisation process • DIS 2108 being balloted – by 30/6 • Meeting at end July to respond to comments (if any) • May need further balloting, or may be confirmed as new standard

7. Main points • Move to 13 digits • Effectively, makes ISBNs EANs, with “Bookland” prefix (978, then 979) • All systems must be able to handle by Jan 2007, although some major retailers (B&N) requesting much sooner

8. Main points (cont.) • Assignment to e-versions remains somewhat contentious (esp. AAP) • Key is formats being “published and made separately available” • ISBNs may also be assigned to chapters if they are published as separate monographs

9. ISSN • International Standard Serial Number • At a much earlier stage in the revision process • Only two committee meetings to date • Controversial issues include:

10. Controversial issues • Scope – e.g. extension to updateable databases, websites, blogs … • E-versions – currently at “medium” level rather than “format” or “version” • And not all publishers follow the rules • Is the ISSN a Work, Expression or Manifestation ID?

11. Where are we? • Too soon to say how this will all work out • Stakeholders (publishers, libraries, intermediaries, national centres) involved

12. ISTC • International Standard Text Code • Designed to be a Work identifier, at the book/chapter/article level • Equivalent to the music ISWC but for textual works • Clear application to rights issues • Looks like this: 0A9-2002-12B4105-7

13. Where are we? • Has stalled now and then over the last 4 years or so • Most recent stall was over the appointment of a Registration Authority • Currently considering candidates • Work exists before it finds a publisher • So take-up depends on authors or their agents (collecting socs? publishers post-hoc?)

14. DOIs • Norman covered yesterday • Take-up by publishers has been phenomenal – over 12m DOIs to date • Publishers often use one of the other IDs to create suffix • But this is just admin convenience • Not mandated, nor treated as intelligent

15. DOIs and CrossRef • The take-up of DOIs given a major impetus by CrossRef • Publishers assign DOIs to articles • Deposit them with CrossRef (as an RA) • Together with m/data that describes the article (author, title, jnl, vol, iss etc) • Publishers also provide citation lists

16. CrossRef • CrossRef interrogates the citation lists • Matches with the DOI m/data, and gets the DOI • DOI is deposited with URL (or other locator) • Hey presto – instantaneous linking from citation to source being cited

17. CrossRef Search • Recently launched as a pilot scheme • Extends system to a Google search

18. Multiple resolution • DOIs can resolve to more than one locator • Conditions can be provided in the m/data, or via a pop-up menu • Good work on this done by CDI (Content Directions, Inc.)

19. The DOI’s our favourite persistent identifier because • It’s well established • By us • It’s easy to implement • It works • It will help us to deliver extra or more targeted services

20. Where there are identifiers there is metadata • All identifiers have (or will have) m/data deposit requirements • Part of the ISO standardization process • DOI kernel set is well established • CrossRef (as a DOI application m/data set) implemented by all participating publishers, at least at version 1 level

21. What metadata sets do we most care about? • ONIX • ONIX for Serials • Maybe Dublin Core (as building block) • Maybe OAI-PMH and OpenURL • Maybe PRISM (if magazines) • Maybe IEEE/LOM/SCORM (e-learning) • Maybe XrML/ODRL/MPEG RDD and REL

22. ONIX • ONline Information eXchange • Much investment since it’s a trading product metadata specification • Has been taken up by supply chain (publishers, wholesalers, library suppliers, booksellers, libraries, bibliographic data agencies)

23. ONIX (cont.) • Covers videos/DVDs and e-books too • So successful that attempts to increase its scope • But beware “Mother of all Metadata Sets” scope creep

24. ONIX for Serials • Still under development • Being piloted by NISO/EDItEUR Joint Working Party

25. Some thoughts • Technical issues – publishers likely to look kindly on m/data sets that can be produced as subset or 1:1 cross-map of ONIX (or other publisher-produced dataset, e.g. journal header info) • Policy – publishers like to use m/data to drive revenue (improve reach, profile, brand)

26. And will tend not to support anything that facilitates access to a non-revenue-generating version • Unless they believe that free availability will drive future revenue • That is, don’t confuse means and ends!