  In this article, we focus on the importance of open research information as
the foundation for transparent and responsible research assessment and
discovery of research outputs. We introduce work in which we support the open
research information commons by enabling, in particular, independent and small
Open Access journals to provide metadata to several open data hubs (Open
Citations, Wikidata, Open Research Knowledge Graph). In this context, we
present The OPTIMETA Way, a means to integrate metadata collection, enrichment,
and distribution in an effective and quality-ensured way that enables uptake
even amongst small scholar-led publication venues. We have designed an
implementation strategy for this approach in the form of two plugins for the
most widely used journal publishing software, Open Journal Systems (OJS). These
plugins collect, enrich, and automatically deliver citation metadata and
spatio-temporal metadata for articles. Our contribution to research assessment
and discovery with linked open bibliographic data is threefold. First, we
enlarge the open research information data pool by advocating for the
collection of enriched, user-validated metadata at the time of publication
through open APIs. Second, we integrate data platforms and journals currently
not included in the standard scientometric practices because of their language
or lack of support from big publishing houses. Third, we allow new use cases
based on location and temporal metadata that go beyond commonly used discovery
features, specifically, the assessment of research activities using spatial
coverage and new transdisciplinary connections between research outputs.
