Accelerating the use of digital object identifiers (DOIs) in academic libraries

This paper explores the use of digital object identifiers (DOIs) in Canadian academic libraries. We analysed survey responses from 40 Canadian research organizations in order to understand the variables that accelerate or hamper the adoption of DOIs for digital research collections. Barriers to adoption include issues relating to technical barriers, lack of plugin integration, lack of dedicated technical staff, and the absence of institution-wide policy. Accelerants include the use of shared national research infrastructure, national funding to help reduce costs to libraries, and national consortia as technical liaisons and educators. Three priority areas for education include: guidance to help librarians decide when to apply a DOI to a resource; examples of metadata mappings for archival holdings and non-traditional formats; and the urgent need for support in maintenance planning for sustaining DOIs over the very long term.