Become a DataCite Registered Service Provider

What is a DataCite Registered Service Provider?

A DataCite Registered Service Provider provides software that integrates with a DataCite API in order to allow DataCite Members to register DOIs using each Member’s own DataCite API credentials. Registered Service Providers meet requirements and follow best practices to ensure that their integrations register DOIs correctly and support the creation of high-quality metadata. Organizations that provide a CRIS or a repository platform, or that assist other organizations in developing custom DataCite integrations, are examples of Service Providers.

Goals of the Program

• Provide current and prospective DataCite Members with information about Registered Service Providers they can work with to easily implement DOI registration
• Provide guidance and best practices to Registered Service Providers
• Enable easier communication with Registered Service Providers
• Provide better support to both Registered Service Providers and Members

DataCite Registered Service Providers will:

DataCite Registered Service Providers are encouraged to:

1. Integrate the Datacite REST API or MDS API into one or more software products that they provide to their customers, in order to allow DataCite Members to register DOIs using each Member’s own DataCite API credentials. Prospective Service Providers that do not yet have an integration should use the REST API.
2. Demonstrate that they have registered real, findable DOIs in the DataCite production environment through their integration. Findable DOIs are registered in the global handle system and indexed in DataCite Commons. For more information about registering findable DOIs, see REST API Guide: Create a Findable DOI or MDS API Guide: DOI States. Note: Registering DOIs in the production environment requires DataCite Repository credentials. Service Providers should collaborate with a customer who is an existing DataCite Member or Consortium Organization to identify findable DOI examples. If the Registered Service Provider does not yet have any DataCite Members as customers, provisional registration based on a demonstration using the DataCite test environment is possible. See our Testing Guide for more information about the test environment.
3. Support submission of DOI metadata that is compliant with DataCite Metadata Schema v4 or higher. See schema.datacite.org for schema information.
4. In cases where customers must share their DataCite credentials with you, provide a secure means for them to do so (ex: encrypted email, password manager, etc). Plain text over email is not secure.
5. Do their best to adhere to the DataCite Best Practices for Registered Service Providers
6. Display the DataCite Registered Service Provider badge on their website (badge image file will be provided upon successful registration).
7. Provide first-line support to their users, escalating to DataCite support (support@datacite.org) if necessary
8. Provide a designated contact email that DataCite staff can use to request assistance with troubleshooting member support issues and to inform the Registered Service Provider about updates to DataCite services. This can be a group email address, e.g. info@service.org
9. Provide DataCite staff with basic information about their service(s) for inclusion on the Registered Service Provider page.

1. Advise customers to add repository software information to the Settings section of their DataCite repository account.
2. Implement Make Data Count for gathering and submitting dataset usage metrics compliant with the COUNTER Code of Practice for Research Data.
3. Include the DataCite Data Metrics Badge in their implementations.
4. Advise customers who operate data repositories to submit their repositories to re3data, the Registry of Research Data Repositories, and add their re3data record to the Settings section of their DataCite repository account. Request addition to re3data using the form at https://www.re3data.org/suggest.