The clear and permanent identification of cultural objects - such as works of art, historical artifacts, collections or archival holdings - plays a central role, particularly in the humanities disciplines. This is not only about the objects themselves, but also about their contexts: for example, associated events, actors, locations, provenances or concepts.

Persistent identifiers (PIDs) are already well established in many libraries, museums and archives. They enable the stable linking of resources, reliable referencing in digital environments and, in particular, support semantic web and linked data applications in research projects.

Which PIDs are used - and where are they available?

• GND (Integrated Authority File)
  The GND is primarily used in libraries to identify persons, corporate bodies, geographies, works, terms and events. The GND IDs are a central component of many humanities research environments. They are assigned by qualified GND partner institutions (e.g. libraries, museums, archives).
• DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
  Cultural objects and collections can also be identified with DOIs - especially if they are published in repositories or as digital objects. They are assigned via DataCite, for example
• ARK (Archival Resource Key)
  The ARK is a PID type that is primarily used in archives and collections. It is particularly suitable for the permanent referencing of extensive digital holdings or complex resource structures. ARKs can be applied for via the California Digital Library, among others.

The targeted use of PIDs in this area improves the visibility, reusability and linkability of cultural resources and contributes to a sustainable digital research infrastructure.

PID Network held the seminar Linking and Contextualization: The Common Authority File as a PID System for Cultural Objects in GLAM Institutions in December 2024 on this topic.