Ukrainian Databases as a Competitive Alternative to International Databases
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15802/unilib/2024_317404Keywords:
international databases, domestic databases, open access, Ukraine, libraries, metadata, journals, statisticsAbstract
Objective. To assess the potential of modern Ukrainian open-access databases initiated by national or technical libraries as a viable alternative to international commercial and open databases for retrieving metadata on periodicals and their articles, including Ukrainian scholarly journals. Methods. The study involved the analysis of databases such as Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, OpenAlex, "Scientific Periodicals of Ukraine" (developed by the Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine), "Scientific Periodicals of Ukraine" (developed by the Association of Users of Ukrainian Research and Academic Network), Open Ukrainian Citation Index, Ukrainian Research Information System, and "Ukrainian Scientific Periodicals." A tabular method (three comparative tables were developed), analytical methods (quantitative and qualitative analysis), and statistical methods were applied. Results. It was found that the completeness of metadata representation varies depending on the resource. Commercial databases like Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection offer the most comprehensive metadata, while Ukrainian resources provide unique data relevant to Ukraine, including information on state registration, knowledge categories, and specializations aligned with Ukrainian regulatory documents. Conclusions. Ukrainian databases developed by national or technical libraries are continuously improving and have the potential to serve as an effective alternative to international commercial databases due to their free access, unique data, and extensive coverage of national scholarly periodicals. Although they cannot fully replace databases like Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection, their combined use holds promise. Given the challenges related to the high subscription costs and content quality in commercial databases, Ukrainian resources have the potential for further development within the global movement towards open science.
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