The recently published report International Metadata Recommendations and Platform-Specific Requirements for Open Access Books and Chapters (Thoth Open Metadata, 2026) may be of interest to those working with open access book publishing.
The report addresses ongoing challenges around creating, managing, and disseminating metadata for OA books and chapters in a fragmented scholarly ecosystem. Drawing on perspectives from not-for-profit Diamond OA publishers, librarians, and open infrastructures, it focuses in particular on the needs of small- and medium-sized, scholar-led, and institutional presses.
It proposes a practical two-tier framework for book and chapter metadata—distinguishing between essential and desirable elements—aimed at improving discoverability, interoperability, and reuse, while remaining achievable for publishers with limited resources.
The full report is available open access:
- Steiner et al. (2026). International Metadata Recommendations and Platform-Specific Requirements for Open Access Books and Chapters (1.0). Thoth Open Metadata. DOI: https://zenodo.org/records/18173982
- Blogpost: New Report: International Metadata Recommendations and Platform-Specific Requirements for Open Access Books and Chapters | Thoth