Persistent identifiers (PIDs) are unique alpha-numeric codes that positively identify entities such as people, places and things. This report sets out the benefits of PIDs primarily through the lens of metadata reuse.

This report was commissioned by Jisc in early 2021, as part of their multi-year programme exploring how persistent identifiers (PIDs) can be used to reduce friction in the ongoing transition to open research.

Persistent identifiers (PIDs) are a crucial technical component of the modern scholarly information system. The fact that PIDs are built to operate ‘between’ systems and to serve as linking structures gives them a special resonance in open research systems.