Dear Academic and Research Librarians,

We can all help improve OpenAlex—a community-led, fully open-access bibliographic and citation database. Below is a simple guide to help you systematically update and correct metadata for your institution's publications.

Please feel free to share any suggestions for improvement on the LIS-Forum.

Best regards,

Subbiah Arunachalam
October 14, 2026


Librarian Guide: Contributing Metadata Corrections to OpenAlex

Purpose
To help librarians systematically improve affiliation and metadata accuracy in OpenAlex for their institution’s publications.

Step-by-Step Checklist

1.  Identify Records
   
      - Use the OpenAlex API or search interface to list works from your institution.
      - Export DOIs, titles, authors, and affiliations for review.

2.  Verify Affiliations
   
      - Compare OpenAlex affiliation strings with your institution’s official names.
      - Flag errors such as misspellings, outdated names, missing departments, or incorrect location details.

3.  Check Author Profiles
   
      - Review author IDs for duplicates or misassigned works.
      - Note missing ORCID links or incorrect author clustering.

4.  Document Corrections
   
      - Maintain a spreadsheet tracking the following:
          - DOI / Work ID
          - Current affiliation string
          - Corrected affiliation (official format)
          - Notes on author disambiguation or missing metadata

5.  Submit Corrections
   
      - Member Institutions: Use the Affiliation Editor dashboard.
      - Non-Members: Email corrections to support@openalex.org or kyle@openalex.org.
      - Optional: Open a GitHub issue for public transparency.

6.  Audit Updates
   
      - Confirm that your corrections have been processed.
      - Review quarterly OpenAlex snapshots for updated records.
      - Share your findings and experiences with colleagues on the LIS-Forum.

7.  Sustain Participation
   
      - Schedule quarterly reviews of your institution’s OpenAlex records.
      - Encourage faculty members to register for and link their ORCIDs.
      - Advocate for institutional membership to gain direct editing rights.

Benefits

  - Improved accuracy of institutional bibliometric data.
  - Enhanced visibility in global scientometric analyses.
  - Direct contribution to a stronger, open research infrastructure.

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