Developing a US National PID Strategy

Advancing Research through a Unified National PID Strategy

In a recent project facilitated by the Open Research Funders Group (ORFG) and Research Data Alliance US (RDA US), the focus has been on developing recommendations for a US National Strategy for Persistent Identifiers (PIDs). Co-chaired by myself and Todd Carpenter, the ORFG PID Strategies Working Group worked to outline the benefits, challenges, and future steps for a US national approach to PIDs.

Current Landscape and the Need for a National Strategy

The US has actively participated in various international efforts, such as UNESCO’s Open Science toolkit. We also have several national level guidance documents, such as the Holdren Memo, Nelson Memo, and the National Security Strategy for United States Government-Supported Research and Development. However, the development of a national strategy for PIDs has not yet been done. Recognizing this gap, the ORFG PID Strategies Working Group published a set of recommendations. These recommendations, available on Zenodo, aim to improve the application and interoperability of PIDs across the US research community.

Benefits of Adopting PIDs

The adoption of PIDs brings numerous benefits:

• Discovery and Accessibility: PIDs offer reliable approaches to accessing research outputs, including data files and consistent metadata/information. 
• Reduction of Administrative Burden: PIDs streamline research activities, reducing the time and cost associated with managing and disseminating research outputs.
• Enhanced Research Assessment: PIDs provide a reliable way to evaluate research impact and outcomes through evidence-based metrics.
• Transparency and Accountability: By fostering trust within the research community, PIDs enhance the transparency of research activities.
• Global Collaboration: PIDs facilitate international research collaborations by ensuring interoperability across different systems and platforms.

Developing a US National PID Strategy

The process of developing a national PID strategy involves several steps:

1. Community Engagement: Gathering input from various stakeholders, including government agencies, academic institutions, and researchers.
2. Technical Implementation: Upgrading legacy systems to modern PID infrastructures, ensuring they meet the desirable characteristics such as persistence, global uniqueness, and interoperability.
3. Governance and Support: Establishing centralized governance structures to manage PID systems and provide ongoing support for their adoption and use.

Moving Beyond Legacy Systems

Legacy systems often lack the granularity and interoperability needed for modern research management. Transitioning from these systems to more sustainable and accessible PID infrastructures is essential. This involves technological updates, workflow changes, and stakeholder engagement to ensure a smooth transition.

Centralized PID Infrastructure

Supporting centralized PID infrastructures is crucial for a unified approach to research management. Centralized systems provide a single source of truth, addressing the diverse needs of stakeholders and fostering collaboration across the research ecosystem.

Areas for Investment

To support the transition to a national PID strategy, investment is needed in several areas:

• Technical Infrastructure: Ensuring scalability, reliability, and adaptability of PID systems.
• Community Engagement: Promoting community participation in governance and decision-making processes.
• Education and Outreach: Raising awareness about the benefits of PIDs and their role in research management.
• Interoperability: Facilitating seamless data exchange between systems.
• Innovation and Research: Supporting new applications and systems to address emerging research needs.

Next Steps and Measuring Success

The ORFG Strategies Working Group has submitted a proposal to the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) to develop these recommendations into a national standard. The process will include public consultations, community participation, and rigorous vetting to ensure the standard meets the needs of the research community.

Conclusion

As we move forward with these initiatives, it is essential for organizations to reflect on their current use of PIDs and consider how they can support the national strategy. By working together, we can enhance the effectiveness, transparency, and impact of research across the United States and beyond.

For more information and to get involved, please refer to the resources linked below:

• Developing a US National PID Strategy: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10811008
• Desirable Characteristics of Persistent Identifiers: https://doi.org/10.54900/c3hdq-0ev76   
• A Roadmap for Developing a US National PID Strategy: https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2024/03/21/a-roadmap-for-developing-a-us-national-pid-strategy/

We extend our gratitude to the Open Research Funders Group, Helios Open, SPARC, RDA US, and the Pervasive Technology Institute at Indiana University for their support in this endeavor. We look forward to continued collaboration as we advance towards a comprehensive national PID strategy. If you are interested in getting involved, please review our report on Zenodo and join the community discussion at PID Forum: https://pidforum.org/t/developing-a-us-national-pid-strategy-report