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What is a DOI?
A digital object identifier (DOI) is both an identifier (like the ISBN) and a new type of hyperlink on the Internet.

What does the DOI do as an identifier?
As an identifier it provides the some of the same benefits as the ISBN -- in fact the ISBN itself can be used as the suffix of the DOI, especially where the DOI is for a book at the title level. But the benefits of the DOI extend beyond the physical item at the title level -- e.g. it can identify all the different formats of the book (print, audio, HTML, PDF, e-Book) and also individual chapters, illustrations or other "components." It can also facilitate supply-chain interactions in the online environment because of its dual role as both identifier and actual hyperlink (see next item).

What does the DOI do as a new kind of hyperlink?
As a hyperlink, the DOI is "The Next-Generation URL" -- surpassing today's URL in functionality although it is backward-compatible with today's URL (so users don't need anything to use it beyond their current browser). It surpasses today's URL in several respects. Whereas a URL link "breaks" whenever the destination page is moved, taken down or reorganized because of a website redesign, the DOI can be re-pointed via a central routing record so that it points to the new, correct location. For this reason, DOI links never "break" as long as the publisher or Bowker keeps the central routing record up to date. For this same reason, a DOI link always displays the most current information about the book.

Who is using the DOI today?
Major publishers have already adopted the DOI: McGraw-Hill, Thomson, Harvard Business School Publishing, RAND, and many others.

What are the benefits of using the DOI?
In addition to the new functionality the DOI gives you, it may give you the following benefits:

What is the format of the DOI?
Every DOI consists of a publisher prefix assigned by Bowker, then a slash ("/"), and then a suffix which is typically the ISBN itself but can actually be any combination of numbers and letters of any length.

Does the DOI have any meaning embedded in the numbers?
No, in fact the DOI's flexibility lies in the fact that it is a "dumb" number; it can then be used to denote all kinds of "objects" for which no standard numbering scheme exists: individual chapters, illustrations, prefaces, tables, etc. In the case of a whole book at the title level the ISBN is used as the suffix, but the DOI can be used to identify and link to any kind of "object" and any level of "granularity." It is already being used (in addition to books) to identify "objects" as diverse as images, online courses, business school case studies, articles, etc.

Who assigns a DOI?
DOIs are assigned and maintained by DOI registration agencies worldwide coordinated by the International DOI Foundation. DOIs are assigned in the United States by Bowker.

Who is eligible for a DOI?
Bowker assigns DOI prefixes at the direct request of publishers, authors, e-book publishers, audio cassette and video producers, software producers or any other entity that publishes intellectual property for commercial distribution.

How much does it cost to get a DOI?
There is a one-time setup fee and annual maintenance fees to create and maintain DOIs. The fees vary according to the level of service the publisher selects. For more information, see the Bowker DOI Agency site.

What do I do when I receive the DOI and where do I use it?
A DOI can be assigned to each title or item including any backlist or forthcoming titles. Once assigned, a DOI can never be reused. You should print the DOI in its full hyperlink form, for example: http://dx.doi.org/10.1036/0071362940 on the lower portion of the back cover of a book above the DOI and on the copyright page.

How and where do I register my DOI?
A DOI is assigned to a specific title or item by the publisher who reports the metadata associated with it to Bowker for registration in the Handle System.

Can a publisher have both a DOI and an ISBN, or both a DOI and an ISSN?
Yes -- the idea is that every existing identifier, whether ISBN or ISSN, should also be registered as a DOI so that it becomes an active hyperlink on the Internet.

What is the history of the DOI?
The DOI was invented by the primary creator of the Internet itself, Dr. Robert Kahn and his non-profit, federally-funded research organization (the Corporation for National Research Initiatives, or CNRI). The DOI system was then adopted by the Publishing Industry via the AAP and other industry organizations along with the major scientific, technical, and medical journal publishers such as Wiley, Elsevier, and Kluwer among others. The International DOI Foundation was created in 1998 as a non-profit policy and governance organization. The International DOI Foundation authorizes Registration Agencies such as Bowker. Membership is open to all organizations interested in helping to manage the evolution of the system.