In the digital age of archaeology, the integrity and accessibility of research are crucial. Have you ever clicked on a link to an important archaeological resource, only to encounter a dreaded ‘404 Error’? Frustrating, right? That’s where Digital Object Identifiers come in – the unsung heroes of digital preservation and citation.
All the ADS Collections, whether from the Archives or the Library, have been allocated unique Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). However, we find that users often cite URLs rather than DOIs when linking to these collections, whether that be formal publications and more informal communication platforms, such as social media. This is problematic as it can lead to broken links when we make changes to our Collections and it is more difficult for the ADS to track reuse of these resources.
The ADS is launching a campaign to transform how users reference and access our digital collections. Our goal? To replace unstable URLs with reliable DOIs, ensuring that valuable research remains accessible for years to come.
Over the next few months we will be uploading posts to educate users on Digital Object Identifiers and how they improve both the sustainability and accessibility of digital content. We plan to cover the following topics:
- What a Digital Object Identifier is
- The differences between DOIs and URLs
- Where to find DOIs
- Why DOIs are useful
- How DOIs benefit the ADS and other repositories
- How DOIs can benefit you
- How to use DOIs
In addition, we also have a few online events in store for those who are interested in learning more and contributing to the preservation of digital data hosted by the ADS.
Friday 11th October 2024 at 12.00: ‘All you wanted to know about DOIs but were afraid to ask’
Join us for a lunchtime webinar to learn why Digital Object Identifiers are superior to URLs for citing all your content, including data deposited with the ADS. We’ll explore the benefits of DOIs and how to use them effectively in your archaeological research. The session will have a Q&A, allowing participants to address any questions or concerns they may have. Please visit the event page to register for the seminar!
Early November 2024: Wikipedia editing session: Help the ADS improve DOIs on Wikipedia
We will be celebrating DPC’s World Digital Preservation Day by hosting an online collaboration to edit and update links on Wikipedia using DOIs. This session will provide participants with training in how to edit Wikipedia and help us use DOIs to update references to ADS resources. Watch this space for the confirmed date and more information over the coming month!
By educating our users about the importance and usefulness of Digital Object Identifiers, we hope that they will be encouraged to use DOIs to effectively cite ADS Collections and Internet Archaeology publications. Be sure to watch this space and tag #DOIsWithADS and #DOIsWithIA on social media to discover the benefits of DOIs.
