I'd find something like this really useful for a couple of projects I'm working on. I think the dbID:vendorID format could work quite well, as it preserves both the fact that the content is the same and that it's located in a different place. That's assuming that vendor here refers to the host ... or does it refer to the publisher? Host would be better I think, as there is generally only one publisher for a given resource, but the host can often be any one of a number of service providers. (eg. APA publishes PsycINFO ,which can be hosted by EBSCO, ProQuest, OVID, etc.) There are complications arising from the fact that what constitutes a "database" can be fairly fluid. eg. databases that consist of multiple possible collections (thinking here of something like ProQuest's Canadian Newsstand, which can be any or all of a number of regional newspaper collections), or ebook databases like netLibrary. Not sure how those kinds of content variations could be reflected in a standard ID, or even if they should be. John On 4-Mar-05, at 6:10 AM, Ross Singer wrote: > Thom, > > This is good news. Whenever I think about this, I picture it looking > something like a DOI: like dbID:vendorID or something, but I don't > know. Do you have any details? > > Thanks, > -Ross. > > Hickey,Thom wrote: > >> There's been some talk around here at OCLC about doing something about >> this, especially to identify database-collections, which seem to be >> entities people worry about too. >> >> --Th >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf >> Of >> Ross Singer >> Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 8:45 AM >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: [CODE4LIB] Authority Control for Databases >> >> Is anybody aware of any type of standard identifier for databases? Or >> any movement to create one? >> >> Matching on name seems very backwards. >> >> If there's not a group trying to create said authority, how could >> something like that be started? Would anybody else see value in this? >> >> Thanks, >> -Ross. >> >> >> > > -- John Durno Project Coordinator BC Electronic Library Network ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Phone: 604-268-7002 Fax: 604-291-3023 Email: [log in to unmask] Web: http://www.eln.bc.ca