Persistent Identifiers: Addressing the challenges of global adoption – COAR

"There are a number of different types of PIDs available for scholarly resources. The most well-recognized one for scholarly resources is the DOI (Digital Object Identifier), but there are also ARKs, PURLs, Handles and URNs all of which have been available for at least two decades. Handles, which have traditionally been used in the repository world, have a robust infrastructure which provides resolution for the DOI system. ARKs, also commonly found in libraries, archives and museums services, have a flexible, decentralized infrastructure. (1) Regardless of type, PIDs promote efficient citation and discovery of scholarly resources.

So, why then, if a resource already has a Handle or other type of PID, would you still need to acquire a DOI? As long as the service is properly maintaining the link from the unique identifier to the resource, does it really matter what type of PID you use?...

COAR has long advocated for a distributed, yet interoperable environment as critical for a resilient and bibliodiverse ecosystem, while also reducing the risks of service lock-in. This approach has also been underscored in the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, which encourages members to adopt, “federated information technology infrastructure for open science… and robust, open and community managed infrastructures, protocols and standards to support bibliodiversity and engagement with society”(3). As such, we urge the broader community to consider the perspectives presented here and ensure global solutions reflect the needs and requirements of all countries and regions...."