OpenURL
OpenURL is an API that can resolve a content item based on either its DOI or metadata. It can also return an XML metadata record. OpenURL is a NISO standard for resolving identifiers and delivering metadata, and is primarily used by library link resolver services to direct users to content, i.e. users reach the publisher landing page for the item they are looking for.
Quick start
| I would like to… | Example request |
|---|
| Resolve a DOI | https://doi-crossref-org.pluma.sjfc.edu/openurl?pid=email@address.com&id=doi:10.1103/PhysRev.47.777 |
| Resolve a DOI using its metadata: | https://doi-crossref-org.pluma.sjfc.edu/openurl?pid=email@address.com&title=Atoms&volume=11&spage=98&aulast=Danner |
| Retrieve the metadata record for a DOI | https://doi-crossref-org.pluma.sjfc.edu/openurl?pid=email@address.com&id=doi:10.1103/PhysRev.47.777&format=unixsd |
Data sources: OpenURL covers all content items registered by Crossref members. That means that it can be used to resolve all Crossref DOIs.
Output format: OpenURL can either resolve directly to a landing page or retrieve a metadata record in XML format. Either UNIXSD XML or UNIXREF can be retrieved.
Authentication and access: No authentication is needed, however an email address is required in requests. This is provided using the pid field. For interfaces that require a key, your email address is your key. If you are using OpenURL with your library link resolver, the email address supplied in OpenURL requests should be configured in your link resolver.
Providing an email address in your requests means that we can identify and contact you if your requests are causing issues. These email addresses will only stay in our logs for 90 days, and we do not share them with anyone else.
Request parameters
All requests must include the pid field.
If id is not used the the following must be included:
- either
issn or title, and - either
spage or aulast.
The parameters redirect, noredirect, and format have similar function and only one of them should be used, although they are not required.
| Parameter name | Values permitted (red) or example (black) | Description |
|---|
pid | test@email.com | Your email address, we may use this contact you in case of any issues with your requests. Note that in this context pid refers to a personal identifier, not a persistent identifier. |
redirect | true (default), false | Retreives the XML record instead of resolving the content’s URL. |
noredirect | true, false (default) | If false, retrieves the XML record instead of resolving the content’s URL. |
format | unixsd or unixref | If used, returns metadata in the unixsd XML format as opposed to resolving the DOI (the same as redirect=true). |
multihit | true, false (default) | If true, returns more than one content item if the request doesn’t find an exact match. |
issn | 1425-8392 | ISSN of the journal or serial where the work was published. |
title | Journal of Sustainable Farming | The title of the journal or proceedings the item was published. |
aulast | Robertson | Last name of the first author. |
volume | 10 | Volume in which the content was published. |
issue | March | Issue in which the content was published. |
spage | 100 | First page of the content. |
date | YYYY, e.g. 1984 | Year of publication. |
stitle | J Sus Farming | The title of the journal or proceedings the item was published. |
id | DOI:10.1126/science.275.5304.1320 | DOI of the content item prefixed with DOI:. |
NISO 0.1 or 1.0 URLs
We also support NISO 0.1 and 1.0 URLs as well as some common deviations. In general it supports the San Antonio Profile #1, a description of which is given in the NISO standard.
Examples:
| I would like to… | Example request |
|---|
| Resolve a DOI | https://doi-crossref-org.pluma.sjfc.edu/openurl?pid=email@address.com&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:doi/10.1103/PhysRev.47.777 |
| Retrieve metadata for a DOI | https://doi-crossref-org.pluma.sjfc.edu/openurl?pid=email@address.com&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:doi/10.1361/15477020418786&noredirect=true |
| Resolve an article using its metadata | https://doi-crossref-org.pluma.sjfc.edu/openurl?pid=email@address.com&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.atitle=Isolation of a common receptor for coxsackie B&rft.jtitle=Science&rft.aulast=Bergelson&rft.auinit=J&rft.date=1997&rft.volume=275&rft.spage=1320&rft.epage=1323 |
