SRef is a database, in which links to the publications of participating publishers are stored. This enables publishers to integrate reference links within their publications which continue to function even when the linked document's target address has changed.

This is made possible by creating the link via a unique, permanent identification-key (SRef-ID) established by the publisher, rather than using the actual target address.

Additionally, the SRef database contains extensive bibliographical information about listed publications. In this way, authors are able to research the exact references listed, and then print out the results of their search in the style of a certain publication, or according to their own criteria.

In cooperation with participating publishers and societies, SRef is continuously developed in order to meet the following goals:

• liberal terms of usage. Membership in SRef gives publishers and societies the possibility - but not the obligation - to link their publications via a referencing system. The resulting metadata are provided to the scientific community free of charge - on the website and with the help of online libraries, for which specially adapted search engines and the integration in a fulltext search system can be established.
• the promotion of a "broad" interpretation of publishing. Along with the classic forms of publishing, SRef explicitly supports new forms of electronic publishing such as interactive electronic journals, as well as databases, archives and multi-media information-sources.
• SRef takes into account the specific needs of scientific societies with respect to conference-publications, abstracts and the link to internet communities such as cosis.net.