Saturday, March 08, 2025

Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) and thier role in supporting scholarly communication

Terms like Digital Object Identifier (DOI), OCID, International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) are common in academic community. These all are Persistent Identifiers (PIDs).

What is Persistent identifier (PID)?

A PID (Persistent Identifier) helps to identify and locate an entity regardless of its hosting or publication location, ensuring its clear and lasting identification. PIDs play a crucial role in the research ecosystem by connecting researchers and their research outputs to the underlying data and related metadata.

Persistent Identifier includes two words, Persistent refers to anything which is long lasting, unbreakable and reliable. An identifier is a label which gives a unique name to an entity: a person, place, or thing.

As described in The Digital Preservation Handbook "A persistent identifier is a long-lasting reference to a digital resource. Typically it has two components: a unique identifier; and a service that locates the resource over time even when it's location changes. The first helps to ensure the provenance of a digital resource ( that it is what it purports to be), whilst the second will ensure that the identifier resolves to the correct current location."

The examples of PIDs include

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): It is a persistent identifiers for things or entities such as journal articles, books, and datasets. Crossref and DataCite are the main organizations assigning DOIs for these purposes in scholarly communication.

OCID: a free, unique, persistent identifier (PID) for individuals. An ORCID iD is an example of a persistent identifier for a person. ORCID works closely with Crossref, DataCite and many other PID organizations to build trusted connections between ORCID iDs and other identifiers.

International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI): This identifier provides information about the institution where a researcher worked while the research was undertaken.

Importance of PIDs in the scholarly system

Discoverability: PIDs such as DOIs, ORCID iDs, RRIDs, ROR IDs, and Funder IDs make data more easily discoverable by providing unique, permanent identifiers.

Accessibility: PIDs link research outputs to their underlying data and associated metadata, making it easier to discover and access research data.

Interoperability: Incorporating PIDs in research outputs ensures that data follows established standards, making it more interoperable with existing and future systems.

Reusability: PIDs facilitate the reuse of research data or protocols by enabling researchers to easily cite and credit the sources of their data and protocols.

Machine-Actionable Data: PIDs enable data to be processed and understood by machines or software, enhancing the efficiency of data and metadata processing.

Reproducibility and Transparency: PIDs play a critical role in ensuring the reproducibility and transparency of research data by enabling researchers to uniquely identify and cite their research resources.

Integration of Data: PIDs facilitate the integration of data from multiple sources, enabling researchers to make new discoveries that would not be possible without PIDs.

FAIR Data Principles: By incorporating PIDs in their research outputs, researchers contribute to making their data more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR data principles) as required by many funders and publishers.

Open Data Ecosystem: PIDs support the open data ecosystem by ensuring the unique identification, citation, and linking of research outputs to their underlying data and associated metadata.

DataCite Commons and power of PID

DataCite Commons was developed as part of the EC-funded project Frey. The users of the DataCite Commons will have easier access to information about the use of their DOIs and can discover and track connections between their DOIs and other entities and also shows the connections between content with DOIs and people, research organizations, and funders that are together called the PID Graph of scholarly resources identified via persistent identifiers (PIDs) and connected in standard ways.

Recent advances in (PIDs) and their application in scholarly communication

Creating an ANSI/NISO standard to enhance utility of PIDs in scholarly system

Recently in a report of the Open Research Funders Group “Developing a US National PID Strategy” in March 2024. It highlighted that a strategy is required to build support for PIDs, increase their adoption, and help stakeholders incorporate them into workflows and systems more easily. Based on the principles addressed in the report while also further developing other elements, this Working Group will create a standard for advancing PIDs and open scholarship.

Finally, Research Data Alliance-United States (RDA-US) has collaborated with the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) to develop a US national PID strategy. This initiative aims to create an ANSI/NISO standard. The Standard will guide the adoption and integration of PIDs in research workflows. By doing so, it seeks to build support for PIDs, streamline their implementation, and enhance their utility across the scholarly ecosystem.

RDA-US will contribute expertise in PID implementation and community engagement, while NISO will oversee the Working Group’s operations and coordination. Leaders from both organizations express confidence that this initiative will significantly strengthen the US research infrastructure by providing clear guidance on PID adoption.

This collaboration underscores the growing recognition of PIDs as critical tools for ensuring the integrity, accessibility, and interoperability of research outputs in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.

The DOI for Scholarly Publishing: winner of the Rosenblum Award for Scholarly Publishing Impact

NISO in association with The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP), the Association of University Presses (AUPresses), the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP), and the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM) has recently in February of this year announced the Rosenblum Award for Scholarly Publishing Impact. Named in honor of Bruce Rosenblum, the award celebrates innovations that have transformed the scholarly publishing ecosystem, focusing on technologies, standards, or practices that have become indispensable to its operation, and its inaugural winner is the DOI for Scholarly Publishing. Bruce Rosenblum was known for his expertise in developing Document Type Definitions (DTDs) and championing XML standards. He played a critical role in the development of the JATS and STS standards and advocated for persistent identifiers, semantic tagging, high-quality metadata, and industry standards.

Since its adoption by Crossref, the DOI for Scholarly Publishing has been critical for ensuring research objects are discoverable, even if web structures change or content moves. DOI metadata facilitates other information management systems such as holdings and appropriate-copy resolution via related standards like OpenURL. DOI metadata facilitates other information management systems such as holdings and appropriate-copy resolution via related standards like OpenURL.

The initiative involved collaboration by five sponsoring organizations: NISO, ALPSP, AUPresses, SSP, and STM. The Award Governance Committee is made up of leaders from these organizations, and there are representatives forming the Award Planning and Piloting Committee.

References:

Open source publishing platforms for scholarly research

LibCognizance Book publishing , Journal Publishing Platform

Now, we have come up with a list of free, open-source software to disseminate research and manage the entire scholarly publishing workflow, from submission to indexing, in case of books, journals, and preprints. These are the publishing software by Public Knowledge Project (PKP). From the beginning, PKP has been developing publishing platforms, such as OJS, OMP, and OPS, based on the principles and licensing of free and open-source software (FOSS). In its effort to support the publishing of open access journals, books, and preprints, PKP is an integral part of the scholarly publishing ecosystem, offering infrastructure that is as open as the science it aims to support.

For Journals	Open Journal Systems (OJS) is the world’s most widely used journal management and publishing software. Manage your entire researcher-to-reader workflow for submission, peer review, and production from one place. Download OJS See Demo See Showcase
For Books	Open Monograph Press (OMP) is an end-to-end solution for publishing books with full metadata. Publish your monographs and edited volumes with full metadata for worldwide dissemination and discovery. Download OMP See Demo See Showcase
For Preprints	Open Preprint Systems (OPS) provides everything needed to run a fully-featured preprint server for researchers. Accelerate research by allowing researchers to upload datasets, revise papers, and link preprints to the final published work. Download OPS See Demo See Showcase
Hosting Services	PKP Publishing Services can host your OJS, OMP, and OPS installation on professionally maintained and secured servers with guaranteed uptime. Hosting Plans

Puzzle 4

LibCognizance library science puzzles , Puzzle

👉 Answers

3. a the company that developed and released Chatgpt.
5. a cloud-based interlibrary loan (ILL) management system by OCLC.
6. an input that a user feeds to an AI system in order to get a desired result or output.
9. The company that developed CiteScore.

1. The Open Data Format meets these Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship.
2. It is also called green open access model.
4. Headquarter of the National Digital Library of India
5. It is a basic unit of text that an LLM uses to understand and generate language.

AGORA: The Ultimate Hub for AI Governance Documents

LibCognizance AGORA , AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is fascinating everyone and influencing almost every aspect of life, directly and indirectly. AI tools are widely used across various domains. From professional workflows to everyday personal tasks, AI is becoming an indispensable tool in enhancing productivity and creativity. Tools like chatbots, virtual assistants, and automated data processing software help professionals streamline their workflows, improve efficiency, and save time. Students benefit from AI-driven platforms that assist in writing assignments, understanding complex topics, and learning new skills through interactive tools. Researchers and scientists rely on AI for data management, conducting analyses, and even drafting and reviewing academic papers. AI accelerates scientific discovery by processing large datasets quickly and uncovering patterns that humans might miss.

The Ultimate Guide to Publishing, Sharing, and Distributing Your E-Book

LibCognizance Book publishing , eBooks

Writing and publishing your book as an ebook has become incredibly accessible in today's digital age. From crafting the content to distributing the final product, there are numerous steps involved in the publishing journey. Thankfully, various platforms streamline this entire process, making it easier for authors to navigate each stage effectively. I'll be sharing some of these useful resources to help you along the way.

Self-Publishing Flowchart

What is Self-Publishing?

A method of publishing where authors can publish and distribute their work independently without needing a traditional publisher.

Self-publishing allows writers to retain full control over their work, including pricing, rights, and marketing.

Key Points:

Author Control: The author makes all decisions about the book.
No Middleman: No traditional publisher involved.
Platforms: Books are usually published through online platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) etc.
Higher Royalties: Authors typically earn higher royalties compared to traditional publishing.
Costs and Risks: The author usually bears the cost of production, marketing, and promotion.

In short, self-publishing allows authors to directly publish and sell their work to readers worldwide.

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Popular Assisted Self-Publishing Companies

Company Name	URL	Image
Kindle Direct Publishing	Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon's self-publishing platform that enables authors to publish eBooks and paperbacks, reaching millions of readers globally. Visit KDP
Blurb, Inc.	Blurb is a platform that helps authors and artists create, publish, and sell their books. It specializes in high-quality print-on-demand services for photo books and art books. Visit Blurb
CreateSpace	CreateSpace, now part of Amazon, allows authors to publish physical books through print-on-demand services. It also offers eBook publishing and distribution. Visit CreateSpace
DiggyPOD	DiggyPOD is a self-publishing service offering both print-on-demand and offset printing. It helps authors with book design, printing, and worldwide distribution. Visit DiggyPOD
Lulu	Lulu provides a variety of self-publishing services including print-on-demand, ebook publishing, and marketing services. It is popular for producing custom and small batch prints. Visit Lulu
Notion Press	Notion Press is an Indian self-publishing platform that provides a wide range of services, including printing, eBook conversion, editing, and book distribution. Visit Notion Press

These companies help authors with formatting, cover design, and marketing, allowing for easier self-publishing with professional support.

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Popular E-Book Platforms

These platforms allow authors to publish and distribute e-books to a wide audience. Many are integrated with major online stores.

Company Name	URL	Image
Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing	Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows authors to self-publish their e-books and paperbacks on Amazon, reaching millions of readers globally. Visit KDP
Apple's App Store (iOS)	The App Store allows authors to publish their e-books for iOS devices, reaching users through Apple Books. Visit App Store
Barnes & Noble	Barnes & Noble allows authors to publish e-books through their Nook Press platform, offering distribution to the Nook e-reader. Visit Barnes & Noble
Blurb, Inc.	Blurb allows authors to create and publish e-books, with a focus on high-quality photo books, art books, and other visually-focused works. Visit Blurb
Kobo Writing Life	Kobo Writing Life enables authors to publish e-books and distribute them to Kobo's global network of readers. Visit Kobo Writing Life
Lulu	Lulu provides self-publishing services for authors, including both print-on-demand and e-book publishing options. Visit Lulu
Smashwords	Smashwords is an e-book distributor that allows authors to publish and distribute their e-books to major retailers and libraries. Visit Smashwords
Wattpad	Wattpad is a popular platform where authors can share stories, get feedback from readers, and turn their work into books or movies. Visit Wattpad

Once the book is ready, authors can publish their e-book on major platforms, which have large customer bases.

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Digital Distribution Platforms

These platforms distribute e-books and digital content across various online stores and devices.

Platform Name	URL	Image
Amazon Kindle	Amazon Kindle is the leading e-book distribution platform, allowing authors to publish e-books directly on Amazon's Kindle Store. Visit Amazon Kindle
Apple Books Store	Apple Books Store is a platform for authors to publish their e-books and distribute them to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. Visit Apple Books Store
Barnes & Noble Nook	Barnes & Noble's Nook platform allows authors to publish e-books and distribute them through the Nook e-reader and app. Visit Barnes & Noble Nook
Google Play Books	Google Play Books offers authors the ability to distribute e-books through Google's platform, which can be read on Android devices and through the web. Visit Google Play Books
Kindle Direct Publishing	Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon's self-publishing platform for authors to publish e-books and paperbacks, reaching millions of readers. Visit Kindle Direct Publishing
Kindle Store	The Kindle Store is Amazon's e-book marketplace where authors can publish and sell their books directly to Kindle users. Visit Kindle Store
Lulu.com	Lulu offers e-book distribution through various online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more, in addition to print-on-demand services. Visit Lulu.com
Smashwords	Smashwords is a global distributor for indie authors, offering a variety of digital formats for e-book publication and distribution. Visit Smashwords
Wattpad	Wattpad is a platform for both professional and amateur writers to share their stories, and also includes features for e-book publishing and distribution. Visit Wattpad
Wikibooks	Wikibooks is a collection of open-content textbooks and educational materials, allowing authors to distribute their e-books freely. Visit Wikibooks

These platforms distribute e-books across multiple platforms, making it easier to reach a wider audience. They also help manage royalties and reporting.

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Final Step: Publish, Share & Distribute

End User Process: Publish, Share & Distribute

Step 1: Write and format the e-book.
Step 2: Choose an assisted self-publishing company for extra support or go solo with tools like Scrivener or Adobe InDesign.
Step 3: Upload the e-book to a popular e-book platform (Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, etc.).
Step 4: Use a digital distribution platform to spread the e-book to multiple platforms.
Step 5: Market the book via social media, email newsletters, and more to increase visibility.

This final step outlines the user journey from writing the book to sharing and distributing it to a global audience.

One Nation One Subscription: countrywide equitable access to scholarly journals in India

LibCognizance Free access to journals , Indian scheme

An announcement of a landmark decision of Indian Government to introduce ‘One Nation One subscription’ scheme for youths and students by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have brought a new zeal in young scholars deprived of scholarly journals behind paywalls. In response to the Prime minister Shri Narendra Modi's clarion call of "Jai Anusandhan" on the occasion of 15th August, 2022, vision of making India Atmanirbhar and Viksitbharat@2047, and also to achieve the goal of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 the Union Cabinet has approved One Nation One Subscription scheme to offer seamless, country-wide access to international high impact scholarly research articles and journal publications to students, faculty and researchers of all Higher Education Institutions managed by the central government and state governments and Research & Development Institutions of the central government. The scheme is expected to provide broader access to research journals for institutions that previously lacked sufficient resources.

Launch of BharatGen: an Indian ChatGPT

LibCognizance AI models , BharatGen

BharatGen—launched in India on September 30, 2024—a groundbreaking initiative in generative AI—designed to transform public service delivery and enhance citizen participation through foundational models in language, speech, and computer vision. The event took place in New Delhi, attended by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State, who emphasized India's commitment to fostering homegrown technologies.

Authors' concern over publishers selling their research to AI developers

LibCognizance Academic Content Monetization , AI and Publishing

Gradually, publishers are moving towards a deal with tech companies including Microsoft, Google, Open AI, Apple and Meta. The deal is that the publishers will get compensation for their content being used to feed and train large language models (LLMs) or other generative AI models. Academic papers having high information content are valuable for these LLMs. Lucy Lu Wang, who co-created S2ORC, a data set based on 81.1 million academic papers, says "Training models on a large body of scientific information also give them a much better ability to reason about scientific topics."[1] Recently Taylor and Francis made a deal with Microsoft in July for selling access to its authors’ work to AI firm, also Routledge, Wiley, Sage, Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press are in the same line.

Publishers probably view these deal as an alternative as their data is already being harvested by these firms without an agreement. According to a Sage spokesperson “We believe that a preferable route is to offer clear licensing routes to our content that protect rights and include payment for the use of content by the LLM that we can pass on to authors and societies." [2] Informa, the parent company of Taylor & Francis and Routledge has recently revealed to make $75m from AI deals and Wiley to make $44m from two AI partnerships. The Independent Publishers Guild’s Autumn Conference is one of the biggest and best events of the UK publishing year held recently on September 17, 22024 in London, UK and the most discussed topic was AI and licensing.

Possible use of content by AI companies

In the article published in Leiter Reports, a philosophy blog, "Cambridge University Press now asking authors whether they want to license their publications for LLMs."[3] CUP discussed the possible use of author's content by AI developers.

If your work is part of a generative AI licensing agreement, it could be used for:

Training and testing the foundational models that are then used to create, for example, personal assistant and chatbot tools or discoverability summaries.
As part of banks of authoritative content that are used, on a perpetual basis, to check and verify the accuracy of information provided by AI tools.

Benefits of this licensing to authors

Publishers can monetize their archives and content by AI companies paying them to use it to train their LLMs.
It may improve the quality and accuracy of tools that are increasingly going to be used in everyday life.
There may also be opportunities for your content to have greater visibility and impact if it is properly cited and attributed by AI tools.

Authors' concerns

In all of these deals authors rights have been ignored causing authors' concern about their work that is being fed to LLMs without even any information and remuneration for their work. The Society of Authors (SoA) has more than 12000 members. It has written a letter stating that they do not consent to these tech companies involved in using their work in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

The letter by SOA Policy Team (August 2024) states:

“Our members have instructed us to put you on express notice that they do not authorise or otherwise grant permission for the use of any of their copyright-protected works in relation to, without limitation, the training; development; or operation of AI models (including the generation of Infringing Works), by large language models or other generative AI models, unless they have first specifically agreed licensing arrangements for the use of their work.” It warns that this “continues to cause great harm to creators’ livelihoods and jeopardizes the future of the profession, which in turn threatens our creative industries and our cultural capital”. [4]

The letter by The Creative Rights Alliance (August 2024) which represents over 500,000 creators, has also written a similar letter to tech companies. [5] There are a few more cases which support the fact that tech firms should not use copyright-protected works without permission or compensation, and that these firms should seek licenses and create transparency for rights holders. Authors have also angered on publishers like Taylor & Francis dealing with Microsoft for selling authors' research for $10m. [6] Sage confirmed that it will pay royalties on any licensing income to the authors, editors and societies based on according to contracts. [7] Authors having their research content with CUP are more relaxed as the Cambridge University Press (CUP) is carefully considering how best to license their content to generative licensing providers and have created a set of principles to guide our decision-making. [8]

These focus on:

author attribution
the creation of formal licensing arrangements to govern content
obtaining permissions from rights holders
obtaining fair remuneration for the use of content.

CUP’s "opt-in" approach [9] involves asking for the consent of all authors and rights-holders for being the part of generative AI licensing agreement before licensing their content to providers of generative AI technologies.

The Bookseller - News - Sage confirms it is in talks to license content to AI firms [10]

Overall, the evolving landscape of publishing in relation to generative AI presents both opportunities and challenges for authors and publishers alike. with the licensing of academic content between publishers and these tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and Open AI, etc, there is a clear potential for monetization and enhanced visibility for authors' works. However, the concerns surrounding authors' rights and compensation cannot be ignored. Many authors express anger with the existing practices, feeling their contributions are exploited without proper recognition or remuneration.

Organizations such as the Society of Authors and the Creative Rights Alliance are advocating for transparent licensing agreements that respect authors’ rights and ensure fair compensation. Meanwhile, publishers like Cambridge University Press are adopting an "opt-in" approach, prioritizing author consent and establishing principles for ethical licensing.

As the discussions around AI and copyright continue to evolve, it is very important for all stakeholders—authors, publishers, and tech companies to collaborate in creating a framework that protects the rights and prestige of authors. Finding a balance between the advantages of AI in making research more accessible and the need to respect authors' work is essential for the future of publishing in the age of artificial intelligence.

Reference

How about the ability to visualize journal article with 3D, AR and VR technologies?

LibCognizance AR & VR , AR & VR implementation in Articles

The fundamental structure of any research article remains a simple document comprised of text and printable figures. Printable media have some limitations to represent scientific communication. It constrains complex scientific data into 2D static figures, hindering our ability to effectively exchange the complex and extensive information. Although the practice of of using digital supplementary material to include digital media with articles is common to modernize articles. Unfortunately, recent metrics indicate these materials are accessed by as few as .04% of readers. [1] [2]

Now the whole scenario is changing and the way content is created, consumed and interacted has changed drastically in digital world. Publishing industry is now revolutionizing with cutting edge technologies Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D. Adoption of smartphones, emergence of native browser integration of the web graphics library (WebGL) are now the part of modern era scientific communication. These bring an immersive captivating experience for readers and improving readers engagement. In disciplines of sciences and medical sciences and others also, authors who include 3D models such as molecular structures and tissue illustrations as part of their manuscript submission will have the opportunity to turn them into interactive AR-viewable objects. Before knowing that how these technologies are being used in publishing it is important to know the basic concepts of AR and VR.