The Modern Language Association has launched an ORCID App, MLA BibLink:
a new application that enables authors to associate their works listed in the bibliography with a unique author identification number from ORCID. MLA BibLink allows you to search the MLA Bibliography for your publications, including works you’ve published under variant names, and in one click link them to your ORCID identifier to create a digital record of your scholarship. If you’ve already created an ORCID profile, any alternative names you’ve included there will be prepopulated in an MLA BibLink search. Haven’t created an ORCID profile yet? You can register for one from the MLA BibLink welcome page and immediately start adding works. (MLA News)
This is significant as we look towards more metrics for tracking citations and impact, including standard and altmetrics. One of the core needs for this is being able to determine who’s who and connect people. The problem of name disambiguation and just any real data that connects people to their publications and scholarly works is critically needed. ORCID is one of the major standards for supporting name disambiguation and making these connections. This is an especially critical need in the humanities and arts, where our publication types and venues are so diverse, needing more work to be done to create clarity and connect the parts. I’m excited to see that MLA has launched MLA BibLink and excited for what it means for more recognition and validation of humanities scholarship!