The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and intellectual property rights

Publishers are developing a wide variety of electronic publications which can be accessed from a server. These newer forms of publication are highly susceptible to unauthorized access and sharing. A balance must be struck between protection and access. The recent introduction of the "Digital Object Identifier (DOI)" has brought the promise of a high security system that will protect digital data from theft. This system has the potential to create an Internet environment that will be both more secure and serve as a basis for an upsurge in digital commerce. Library and Information service professionals have a big stake in this technology because, inevitably, the issues of access/usage charges and perceived threats to intellectual freedom will be hotly debated.