Crossref celebrating 25 years

Celebrating 25 years of transforming metadata

Our beginning demonstrated the need for collaboration from across the research ecosystem to improve research integrity and more responsible practices with better transparency. Now 25 years later, we remain community-led and responsibly driven to continue improving practices and research integrity.

Community is at our core

We could not do what we do without your support and community backing. You help us make research objects easy to find, cite, link, assess, and reuse. A huge THANK YOU from the entire Crossref team.

statics on member counts, staff size, metadata queries, number of records

What our community says


Our community spans far and wide, from across the research ecosystem. Over the years, we have seen the use of metadata evolve and change how valuable research and data are showcased in new and exciting ways. Discover our community contributions from across the world celebrating our 25 years of collaboration, and diverse network supporting better metadata.

As part of our celebrations, we invite you to share your birthday message.

Simply, take a video on your phone, recording device or through Teams/Zoom, for example, with two pointers:

  • Crossref is celebrating 25 years. How has Crossref impacted the publishing/research community over the last 25 years?
  • Please give us a happy 25th birthday message for Crossref

Don’t worry about editing - send us your raw recording and we will make any edits required.

+- We have created some helpful tips to improve your recording:
  • Minimize background noise: choose a quiet space to ensure your message is clear, easy to hear and more accessible.
  • Avoid windows behind you: position yourself so that there are no windows in the background, as this can cause glare and distract from your message.
  • Framing: aim for a head-and-shoulders or head-and-top-half shot. This framing helps create a more personal and conversational feel.
  • Distance from the camera: try not to sit too close to the screen; a comfortable distance will make your video more engaging.
  • Speak in your local language: feel free to share your message in your native language.

Send your video using our designated form, and we will add it to our playlist. By sending us your video, you consent to it being used for marketing purposes. Do get in contact should you want to remove at any time.


Events planned as part of our celebration throughout the year

square tile with faded image in the background, with image overlay Crossref Metadata Sprint, Our first-ever metadata sprint
square tile with faded image in the background, with image overlay Crossref Accra, Our first-ever event in Ghana
square tile with faded image in the background of Quito, Ecuador, with text Crossref Metadata Sprint, Quite Ecuador, September 2025

Crossref Metadata Excellence Awards

Crossref metadata excellence awards for members exemplifying the best practices in metadata curation, which took place during our Midyear Community Call on 7 May. Meet six winners of the first ever Crossref Metadata Awards!




Get Involved

This anniversary isn’t just ours—it’s yours too. Here’s how you can participate:

  • Contribute to our shared knowledge base—submit your metadata use cases or Crossref success stories

  • Engage on social media using the hashtag #Crossref25

Want to do something special with your organization? Contact our community team to brainstorm.

Page owner: Crossref   |   Last updated 2025-March-05