DOI Minter: A Service for Flexible Generation of DataCite DOIs in Connection with a DSpace Repository

Abstract

As institutional repositories seek to better support the release of unique research outputs (as opposed to open access versions of separately published materials), they increasingly turn to DataCite DOIs as the most appropriate form of persistent identifier. While DataCite DOI registration support is built into many repository platforms, the native configuration options may be limited. For institutions like ours who opt to use commercial repository hosting services, contracting customizations to features such as the DataCite integration within the existing software also complicates future upgrade or migration paths for the platform as a whole. In addition, locating the DOI minting service of an institution within a single platform or database may be inappropriate when the institution has several different systems that would benefit from the use of DOIs. Due to these factors we developed a local DOI Minter service connected to our hosted DSpace repository via REST API. This has allowed us to have greater immediate flexibility and also better positions us for future expansion of our DOI related services.