Potential, Recognition, and Open Books in Research Evaluation (PROBE)

Abstract

The evaluation of scholarly books, which are crucial scientific outputs, is hampered in Lithuania by a reliance on inconsistent publisher prestige and significant challenges in international visibility. The PROBE project aims to provide evidence-based insights to improve this system by bridging the gap between national data infrastructure potential and researcher readiness for book evaluation reform. Using a mixed-methods approach, PROBE will conduct a two-path investigation.

We will first audit Lithuania’s national data infrastructures (Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Academic Electronic Library eLABa), performing a quantitative analysis of digital records and a qualitative audit of the ‘digitalisation gap’ between metadata in physical books and their digital records. In parallel, through focus groups and a national survey, we will assess the research community’s perspectives on open science and evaluation reform.

By integrating these findings, the project will deliver original datasets and a comprehensive synthesis of the challenges and opportunities, including evidence-based recommendations for metadata digitalisation. These results will provide the foundation for a fairer, more transparent evaluation system that enhances the global visibility of national scholarship while preserving the Lithuanian language as a language of science.

The PROBE project (2026–2027) is implemented as part of a project funded by the State Budget titled "Establishment of Centers of Excellence at Mykolas Romeris University," which is implemented under the initiative "Centers of Excellence Initiative" initiated by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania.