Cite my thesis? DOIs for grey literature

This paper describes analysis undertaken by UNSW Library for assigning Digital Object Identifiers to grey literature. As a ‘trusted identifier’, DOIs assist tracking and relating research artefacts, but their assignment carries responsibilities that affect workflow options. Factors to be considered include the scope of repositories and resource types, request and minting mechanisms, DOI display within landing pages and files, and restrictions on items assigned a DOI. This paper includes an environmental scan of relevant international DOI services for grey literature and outlines a model whereby requests are reviewed and actioned by Library staff. The service is provided through a web application that allows students or staff to submit DOI requests for grey literature deposited in a UNSW repository. Library staff are then able to review the submission, mint a DOI, and update the record. In addition, trusted partners within the institution have access to Mint functionality. The submission process makes the user aware of DOI conditions and the subsequent workflow meets requirements for DOI assignment, including that objects assigned a DOI be a citable, enduring part of the scholarly record. The service balances ease of use by researchers, interoperability with existing systems, and flexibility to cater to existing and future use cases.