WHAT IS A DOI?
By Andrea Twiss-Brooks

DOI stands for Digital Object Identifier. This is a way of uniquely identifying an article, book chapter, technical report, or other type of electronic file. Just as an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) identifies a particular book title, or an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) identifies an entire journal, the DOI represents a single article within an electronic journal.

The DOI consists of two parts: a prefix (which is generally unique to each publisher or society) and a suffix (which identifies the particular article). Some suffixes contain meaningful strings of information; others do not. In the example below, the DOI prefix is 10.1002. The suffix contains several pieces of identifiable information including the ISSN for the journal, year, volume/issue, and starting page for the article. It also contains some code that does not have meaning independent of the DOI context.

Question: If I have a DOI, how do I find the article?

Answer: If you have a DOI from an article reprint, or some other source, you may use the “DOI resolver service” to locate the article on the web. The DOI system uses a resolution system to assure persistence by resolving the DOI to a current associated value such as a URL; users of DOIs need not be aware of changes to URLs in order to use the system.

To use this resolver service, point your browser to dx.doi.org and type (or copy and paste) in the complete DOI (prefix and suffix). You must include all punctuation, retain upper and lower case letters, and do not add spaces.

Question: Now that I have this article with a DOI, how do I cite it?

Answer: Using DOIs in article references is a fairly recent phenomenon, and very few standards for citing them in scientific journals exist. A few journals and publishers have specific style guidelines for incorporating DOIs in their instructions for authors; most do not. Some of the publishers who provide specific guidelines for using DOIs in references are those who are also relying on DOIs as the authoritative article identifier (e.g, American Geophysical Union). Other publishers may request DOIs for citing “in press” articles or articles which are essentially web editions issued prior to print publication which do not yet have traditional pagination. It may be acceptable, in the absence of more specific instructions; to follow the overall recommended style for article references provided by the journal, incorporating the DOI just after the pages or citation number. When in doubt, it may be prudent to contact the journal editorial office for additional guidance or clarification.

Here are some specific examples of how to cite an article with a DOI:

Question: How do I find out more about DOIs?

Answer: Here are some web sites with more information.

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) and Clifford Lynch’s five questions on identifiers
by William Y. Arms, Corporation for National Research Initiatives October 13, 1997
www.arl.org/newsltr/194/arms.html
This is a good, basic, short discussion of DOI from publisher standpoint.

Identifiers and Their Role In Networked Information Applications
by Clifford Lynch, Executive Director, Coalition for Networked Information
Source: ARL: A Bimonthly Newsletter of Research Library Issues and Actions 194 (October 1997). Washington, DC: Association of Research Libraries.
www.arl.org/newsltr/194/identifier.html
Discusses in accessible language, what identifiers are, historical development of precursors to DOI, and implications for their use.

Unique Identifiers: a brief introduction
by Brian Green and Mark Bide
Revised edition March 1997, © Book Industry Communication and EDItEUR 1996, 1997
www.bic.org.uk/uniquid.html
A more indepth guide written primarily for a publishing industry audience.

CLOSING OF THE CHEMISTRY LIBRARY
By Andrea Twiss-Brooks

The Chemistry Library located in George Herbert Jones Laboratory at the University of Chicago was closed on September 2, 2003.

Staff from the Library and from Hallett and Sons (movers) packed books, journals, furniture, and equipment, and moved them into the John Crerar Library during the waning days of summer.

This move was made in anticipation of and supports the consolidation of research programs in the Interdivisional Research Building, currently under construction and adjacent to the John Crerar Library. Books and journals from the Chemistry Library have, for the most part, been moved to their new, permanent locations in the John Crerar Library.

Much of the material in chemistry is available in electronic format via the web. Some useful links for finding articles, books and more include:

Chemistry Subject Page
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/chem/

Chemistry Electronic Journals
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/chem/db/ej/

Web Versions of Chemisty Reference Books
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/chem e_reference_books.html

Users of the library should contact the John Crerar Library Circulation Desk or the Reference Desk with any questions about access to chemistry materials.

For assistance with more in-depth reference questions in chemistry, assistance with SciFinder Scholar or CrossFire Beilstein/Gmelin, or to arrange for chemical information instruction or orientation, contact:

Andrea Twiss-Brooks, Bibliographer for Chemistry, Physics, Geophysical Sciences, and Technology (773-702-8777 or email: atbrooks@uchicago.edu) or just stop by her office (JCL 132).

IRB CONSTRUCTION: A VIEW FROM THE ROOF OF CRERAR
By Barbara Kern

THE CORE LIST OF ASTRONOMY BOOKS AND JOURNALS has been updated
By Barbara Kern

ads.harvard.edu/

The Core List of Astronomy Books and Core List of Astronomy and Physics Journals have been updated and are available in HTML and PDF formats from the NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS).

Updated every two years, the Core List of Astronomy Books provides an up-to-date, comprehensive listing of the monographic literature available in the field of astronomy. The last attempt to create such a listing was Seal and Martin’s A Bibliography of Astronomy, 1970-1979. There are seven major categories: Abstracts and Indexes, Atlases and Catalogs, Bibliographies, Directories and Encyclopedias, Handbooks and Yearbooks, Texts and Textbooks.

The Core List of Astronomy and Physics Journals “is a list of highly-used and highly-cited physics and astronomy journals. “Use” is measured largely on paper-journal counts from selective academic research-level libraries. Citation count titles are drawn from Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) data. Recognition is given to entrepreneurial electronic-only or new-style electronic journals. Selective news, magazine, and general science journals are omitted.” (ADS)

The purpose of both lists is two-fold. First they act as a guide for librarians who are building astronomy and physics collections. Second they attempt to serve as a bibliographic resource for researchers and teaching faculty.

Questions, comments and suggestions are welcome. Contact Liz Bryson, bryson@cfht.hawaii.edu.

The John Crerar Foundation, which was formed in 1981 as one of the conditions of the merger of the independent John Crerar Library with the University, acts to perpetuate the name of John Crerar and to provide targeted support to the John Crerar Library.  Recognizing that society needs to be better informed about science, the Foundation has established a new prize at the University of Chicago.

An annual award will be given to the best paper written by a University of Chicago undergraduate on a scientific theme. The paper must be understandable to those who study either a biomedical or a physical science, however its arguments must be clear to the non-specialist. Our hope is to encourage students to connect their own studies and research to the larger effort of public education and understanding.

Each year, the prize committee will select a topic for submission.  The topic will be broad enough to cover both the biomedical and physical sciences.  Alternately two topics may be chosen - one for each discipline. Students must write their paper based on the topic presented to them (or select one if a choice is given), however they can write it from any perspective (i.e.: physical science, biomedical science, ethics, history, religion, politics). The competition is not restricted by year of study or area of concentration.
An important component of the paper will be the bibliography, which must include citations from a variety of sources. Students are encouraged to contact their Class Librarian for research assistance www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/classpages.
First prize is $1500.00 and second prize is $500.00.

Please consult our new web page for more details about the prize and program:
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar-prize/

We hope that you will encourage your students to submit an entry. If you have any questions or comment please feel free to contact Barbara Kern at 702-8717, bkern@uchicago.edu.

Fifty years ago James Watson and Francis Crick made one of the major discoveries of the twentieth century: they deciphered the double helical structure of DNA. The discovery began a revolution in molecular biology that led to major advances in science and medicine.

Watson and Crick both continued their scientific careers but Watson also embarked on a new one, as a writer.

Beginning with Watson’s early years as a South Sider and an undergraduate at the University, the exhibit chronicles his life as an author of remarkable writings, both literary and scientific. Original documents offer his reflections on the people and events that influenced and inspired him.

The exhibit will open on Monday, January 19th, 2004 and feature a lecture by Dr. Watson at 4:00 P.M in the Biological Sciences Learning Center, 924 East 57th Street. A reception will follow at 5:30 P.M. in the John Crerar Library Atrium, 5730 S. Ellis Avenue.

For details please visit: www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/exhibits/watson.html or contact Barbara Kern, 702-8717 / bkern@uchicago.edu

The exhibit is a collaborative effort between the Science Libraries Division and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

The ERU (Electronic Resources Update) is written and produced by the Science Libraries at the University of Chicago. This quarterly publication is distributed in print, on the web and via email.

To receive this newsletter in print or via email contact Barbara Kern at 702-8717 or bkern@uchicago.edu.