SocArXiv Papers | Mapping Scholarly Books: Library Metadata and Research Assessment

Abstract: This paper proposes an open-science-aligned approach that uses library metadata to evaluate individual books. I analyse the suitability of this approach for individual book assessment and visibility of national books in the library catalogues, to support responsible research evaluation. WorldCat metadata offers valuable insights for the evaluation of books, but the completeness of this metadata varies. Author, contributor, and publisher data require cleaning, while languages, years, formats, editions, and translations provide rich information. Open access data is currently lacking, and national book visibility in WorldCat depends heavily on contributions from national libraries and metadata suppliers. Encouraging national library engagement could boost the global visibility of domestic research. Further exploration is needed regarding long-term preservation, metadata ownership, and technical integration for effective standardisation and improved book evaluation.