DOI^® System User Community

Registration Agencies, IDF Members, Developers & End Users

The DOI system community is diverse. Internet users regularly encounter DOI names that help them find what they are searching for — whether they notice them or not — for a growing number of resources, including scientific datasets, music and the arts, books, journals and government documents. Registration Agencies create DOI names for their user communities and offer metadata and other services. Developers generate tools for resolving DOI names. IDF members make up the central body which governs the system. Data specialists ensure interoperability and metadata exchange via the DOI data model and the data dictionary, which provide guidance for metadata creation.

See News, Events & Press Coverage for links to IDF's news releases, press releases from other organizations, and dates for coming events. All users are encouraged to subscribe to the free DOI News mailing list for service announcements that summerize press releases and report on activities.

Registration Agencies

Registration Agencies (RAs) provide services, including prefix allocation and DOI name registration. They also provide the infrastructure for declaring and maintaining metadata, and offering value added services.

If you wish to use the DOI system and assign DOI names, you must either work with an existing RA, or work with a specific community to form a new one.

• List of RAs, contact information and areas of coverage, including such areas as book and journal publishing, large datasets, commercial audio/video assets, and government documents.
• Roles, business models, operational and technical requirements for RAs are explained in the DOI Handbook, Chapter 8, Registration Agencies.
• See DOI System Examples of the ways RAs and their customers are using DOI names.

International DOI Foundation Members

The IDF is a not-for-profit membership organization controlled by a Board elected by members, and is the DOI system registration authority and the central body which governs the DOI system.

• List of IDF Members
• How to become a member of the IDF, membership obligations, requirements, fees, and classes of membership, are addressed in the DOI Handbook, Chapter 7, International DOI Foundation.
• The Members Area of the web site provides guidelines and information for members on current activities, including meeting agendas and reports.

Developers

In addition to the services being developed and offered by RAs, tools, widgets, plug-ins and other services, especially for DOI name resolution in different uses and contexts, are being implemented by developers internationally. A partial list of existing tools and links to the downloads and contact information can be found at DOI Tools. Developers should see DOI Handbook, Chapter 5, Applications for information as well.

Updated 3 April 2013     |     DOI®, DOI.ORG®, doi>® and shortDOI® are trademarks of the International DOI Foundation.