Persistent URLs
When your item becomes a part of the eCommons repository it is assigned a persistent URL. This means that, unlike most URLs, this identifier will not have to be changed when the system migrates to new hardware, or when changes are made to the system. eCommons is committed to maintaining the integrity of this identifier so that you can safely use it to refer to your item when citing it in publications or other communications. Our persistent urls are registered with the Handle System, a comprehensive system for assigning, managing, and resolving persistent identifiers, known as "handles," for digital objects and other resources on the Internet. The Handle System is administered by the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI), which undertakes, fosters, and promotes research in the public interest.
When linking to items in eCommons, always use the handle (displayed on the item page) and not the URL displayed in the navigation bar of your web browser, the URL that links directly to a file, or any other link that doesn't begin with "hdl.handle.net."
Digital Object Identifiers (DOI)
Upon request, eCommons staff will also assign a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to a submission. The DOI will appear with the handle as a "Permanent Link" for the item. eCommons DOIs are registered through DataCite, which provides an additional layer of discovery through their metadata registry and search tool. You might want to request a DOI:
- When you are depositing a something that would be considered a citable contribution to the scholarly record, such as a pre-print (a draft version of a paper to be published in a journal), other type of publication, or data set.
- When you want your content to be discoverable via data sources such as DataCite (the registration agency that "mints" our DOIs), or CrossRef, Web of Science, and SHARE (all of which harvest data from DataCite).
- For datasets related to publications in journals that require supplementary material to have a DOI.
- When your work was supported by a funder that requires reported research products to have a DOI.
You should not request a DOI:
- for works that are not and will not be publicly accessible within a reasonable time frame, such as confidential data that cannot be openly shared. Works under embargo but that will be made publicly available upon expiration of the embargo, may be assigned a DOI.
- for works that have already been assigned a DOI (for example, a COPY - as opposed to a VERSION - of a paper that was assigned a DOI when it was first published, although you may enter that DOI when you submit your item to eCommons).
If you need to have a handle or DOI in advance of uploading your content to eCommons, or for an item already in eCommons, please contact us.