A DOI is made up of two parts, a prefix and a suffix, separated by a forward slash. There are no defined limits to the length of either part.
The prefix is assigned to the organisation (the registrant) registering the DOI. It has a directory indicator '10' showing that the whole character set is a DOI , followed by a full stop and then the registrant code. The registrant code may then include subcodes, so the prefix might look something like this:
10.1000.10
The suffix is then chosen to be unique to the precediing prefix element. It can be of any length and may have some embedded meaning:
10.1000/123456
10.1088/0004-6256/136/1/312 (in this case the suffix is the journal with ISSN 0004-6256, and the article concerned is in volume 36, issue 1 and starts on page 312)
The International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an internationally accepted code which identifies the title of serial publications. In the UK the ISSN UK Centre at the British Library is responsible for assigning ISSNs to the serials published.
As with ISBNs it is possible to get an ISSN pre-publication.
Qualifying publications must be " a continuing resource in any medium, issued in a succession of discrete parts [and having a common title], usually bearing numbering, that has no predetermined conclusion. Examples of serials include journals, magazines, electronic journals, ongoing directories, annual reports, newspapers, and monographic series."
The basic information required is:
•Proposed title (working titles / project titles are not sufficient);
•Frequency of publication;
•Proposed start date (month / year);
•Publisher's name and address.
The Centre will also need to receive a copy of the first issue on publication in order to validate their records.
A DOI is a unique alphanumeric string assigned both to identify an article uniquely and to provide a persistent link to its internet location.
DOIs are assigned by the publisher when your article is published and made available electronically. They are typically included on the first page of the electronic article, and on any database landing page for that article.
DOIs are included as part of some bibliographic referencing systems e.g. APA.
Publishers and distributors in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland have a legal obligation to send one copy of each of their publications to the Legal Deposit Office of the British Library within one month of publication under the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 and the Copyright and Related Act, 2000. It is the responsibility of the publisher to send this, without being askedto:
Legal Deposit Office
The British Library
Boston Spa, Wetherby
West Yorkshire
LS23 7BY
Tel: 01937 546268
Email: legal-deposit-books@bl.uk or legal-deposit-serials@bl.uk
The Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 and the Irish Copyright Act 1963 entitle the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Cambridge University Library, the National Library of Scotland, the National Library of Wales, and Trinity College Library, Dublin to a free copy on request. The request is usually made a few months after publication.
Copies may be sent (without necessarily waiting for a demand) to:
Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries
161 Causewayside
Edinburgh
EH9 1PH
Tel: 0131 623 4680
Fax: 0131 623 4681
Email: publisher.enquiries@legaldeposit.org.uk