Springer Nature implements ORCID unique digital identifiers for books and chapters

Springer Nature will collaborate with ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) to provide the work of  book authors, chapter authors and book editors with digital identifiers, ensuring the recognition of their work. These identifiers can be linked to the researcher’s contributions to enhance scientific discovery and collaboration within the research community. Springer is the first publisher to implement the ORCID identifier in the book workflow process, ultimately providing authors with a digital identifier that distinguishes them from every other researcher. Books from Palgrave Macmillan, which are currently being integrated into SpringerLink, will also be able to use ORCID iDs.

ORCID provides two core functions: first, a registry for individual researchers to obtain a unique “digital name” and second, APIs that are used by organizations to exchange research information, support authentication and connect ORCID iDs with other identifiers for researchers, creative works and affiliations. ORCID records hold non-sensitive information such as name, email, organization and research activities.

Martijn Roelandse, Manager Publishing Innovation at Springer Nature, said, “The novelty about this approach is that the author or editor will add his or her ORCID identifier to the book manuscript. We will pick that up and eventually publish that in the appropriate field in XML, PDF and HTML. Subsequently, the published work will carry their ORCID iD so there’s no doubt about who published the work.”

Laurel L. Haak, Executive Director at ORCID, said, “Researchers want their contributions to be discoverable. We are excited that Springer Nature is using ORCID iDs in their book publishing workflow.  Not only does this expand the types of creative works that researchers can easily connect to their ORCID iD, it also makes these works more clearly attributable, which helps increase their visibility in scholarly communications.”