RE: OpenURL and CrossRef

[Amy Brand <abrand@crossref.org>]

Here are a few documents which address this issue:

http://www.doi.org/handbook_2000/resolution.html#6.9
http://www.doi.org/faq.html#26
http://www.dlib.org/dlib/september01/caplan/09caplan.html

There has indeed been some confusion around linking, OpenURL and the use
of DOIs/CrossRef recently.  First, it is important to understand some
basic definitions. The OpenURL protocol is a method for sending metadata
(including DOIs) in a URL, and the OpenURL framework is a system for
localized linking within an institution.  CrossRef and DOIs work together
with OpenURL services. OpenURL is not an identifier and it does not
provide a resolution service -- two things that DOIs provide.

CrossRef is a system for facilitating citation linking using the DOI. DOIs
(digital object identifiers) are alphanumeric strings that publishers
assign to their content items and register with CrossRef as a triplet of
information: DOI+metadata+URL (current location). CrossRef transmits the
DOI+URL pairs to the centralized DOI handle server, where resolution
occurs when a user clicks on a DOI link. Because of this registration and
resolution process, and the fact that DOIs can be updated in one place,
DOI based links are persistent links -- they do not go out of date as URLs
so often do, when a content item gets moved for whatever reason.

Hence, OpenURL is not an alternative to CrossRef and DOIs -- it is a
complementary system. For OpenURL localized linking purposes, CrossRef
allows the DOI to be "redirected" as appropriate and makes its metadata
available to participating libraries. This means that the DOI system and
CrossRef are OpenURL aware and CrossRef member publishers are OpenURL
aware through use of CrossRef and DOIs. CrossRef is also investigating
using OpenURL for parameter passing with DOIs. 

Amy Brand 
Director of Business Development 
www.crossref.org 
40 Salem Street 
Lynnfield, MA 01940
tel. 781-295-0072, fax 781-295-0077

-----Original Message-----
hosoka@yamanouchi.co.jp
Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002 11:35 PM
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: OpenURL and CrossRef

Greetings

I'm interested in relation between OpenURL and CrossRef . I want to read
this article or book or websites. Thank you in advance for any insights
and information on this subject!

Miki Hoso
hosoka@yamanouchi.co.jp