Blockchain-Enabled Secure and Transparent Scholarly Communication in Sustainable Digital Libraries:A Systematic Literature Review
الشريط الجانبي للمقالة
محتوى المقالة الرئيسي
الملخص
The rapid growth of digital libraries has intensified concerns regarding security, transparency, and trust in scholarly communication. Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution to address these challenges by enabling decentralized, immutable, and verifiable information management. This study aims to systematically review and synthesize existing research on blockchain-enabled secure and transparent scholarly communication within the context of sustainable digital libraries. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Data were collected from three major academic databases, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library, resulting in a final set of 55 relevant articles published between 2015 and 2025. The review analyzes publication trends, research themes, technological approaches, and reported benefits and limitations of blockchain adoption in digital library ecosystems. The findings indicate that blockchain is predominantly applied to enhance data integrity, peer-review transparency, copyright management, and long-term preservation, while also supporting sustainability through reduced reliance on centralized infrastructures. However, challenges related to scalability, interoperability, energy consumption, and regulatory compliance remain significant barriers to implementation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current research directions and identifies critical gaps for future studies, offering valuable insights for researchers, librarians, and policymakers seeking to develop secure and sustainable digital library systems.
تفاصيل المقالة
هذا العمل مرخص بموجب Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work
كيفية الاقتباس
المراجع
Ahmed, S. (2025). Enhancing data security and transparency: The role of blockchain in decentralized systems. International Journal of Advanced Engineering, Management and Science, 11(1), 593258. DOI 10.22161/ijaems.111.12
Al-Sabahi, K., & Al-Mabsali, Y.K. (2025). A Decentralized Framework for Ethical Authorship Validation in Academic Publishing: Leveraging Self-Sovereign Identity and Blockchain Technology. Cryptography and Security. DOI 10.48550/arXiv.2508.01913
Alshahrani, S. M. (2025). Disrupting the status quo: Blockchain’s potential for overhauling conventional academic systems. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 50(2), 951-971. DOI 10.1007/s13369-024-09065-8
Anderson, C., Shrestha, P., Bhunia, S., Carvalho, A., & Lee, Y. (2025). Blockchain-based token system for incentivizing peer review: A design science approach. Decision Support Systems, 197, 114514. DOI 10.1016/j.dss.2025.114514
André, M., Margarida, J., Garcia, H., & Dante, A. (2021). Complexities of Blockchain technology and distributed ledger technologies: A detailed inspection. Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal, 2(1), 164-177. DOI 10.63995/JWFN998
Cardenas-Quispe, M.A., & Pacheco, A. (2025). Blockchain ensuring academic integrity with a degree verification prototype. Sci Rep 15, 9281. DOI 10.1038/s41598-025-93913-6
Chaudhary, D. (2025). Blockchain Use in Open-Access Academic Publishing. Scientific Journal of Artificiaal Intelligence and Blockchain Technologies, 2(2). DOI 10.63345/sjaibt.v2.i2.204
Chukwusa, J., Onohwakpor, J. E., & Dada, G. (2025). Perception of blockchain technology in circulation management in university libraries. African Journal of Education and Information Studies, 5(1), 45–62. https://ajoeijournal.org/sys/index.php/ajoei/article/view/876
De Alwis, A., Shrestha, A., & Sarker, T. (2025). Exploring Governance for accreditation in the education sector using blockchain technology: a systematic literature review. Discover Education, 4(1), 57. DOI 10.1007/s44217-025-00449-y
Dwivedi, Y.K., Kshetri, A., Hughes, L., Slade, E.L., Jeyaraj, A., Kar, A.K., Baabdullah, A.M., Koohang, A., Raghavan, V., Ahuja, M., Albanna, H., Albashrawi, M.A., Al-Busaidi, A.S., Balakrishnan, J., Barlette, Y., Basu, S., Bose, I., Brooks, L., Buhalis, D., Carter, L., & Wright, R. (2023). Opinion Paper: “So what if ChatGPT wrote it?” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 71. DOI 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102642
Emmanuel, V.O., Efemini, M., Yahaya, D.O., & Oladokun, B.D. (2023). Application of blockchain technology to 21st century library services: Benefits and best practices. Data and Metadata, 2. DOI 10.56294/dm202359
Evwiekpaefe, A.E., Chinyio, D.T., Ajakaiye, F., & Aleke, P.O. (2025). A Blockchain-Based Digital Library System Integrated with CryptoJS for Enhanced Security and Transparency. Journal of Information Systems and Informatics, 7(3). DOI 10.51519/journalisi.v7i3.1176
Green, T., Chakim, H.R., Andayani, D., & Rusilowati, U. (2025). Implementation of Blockchain in Academic Data Management. Jurnal Mentaru: Manajemen, Pendidikan dan Teknologi Informasi, 4(1). DOI 10.33050/mentari.v4i1.911
Kim, H.-W., Noh, Y., & Roh, J.-W. (2025). A Study on the Applicability and Perception Differences of Blockchain Technology in Academic Librarie. International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology, 15(3), 91–122. DOI 10.5865/IJKCT.2025.15.3.091
Koo, Z.N., Teoh, B.A., & Teoh, P.C.B. (2025). Bridging Innovation and Security: A Bibliometric Review of Blockchain’s Impact on Higher Educational Institution Management. International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting, 6(2), 219–242. DOI 10.33093/ijomfa.2025.6.2.8
Lindebaum, D., & Jordan, P. J. (2023). Publishing more than reviewing? Some ethical musings on the sustainability of the peer review process. Organization, 30(2), 396-406. DOI 10.1177/13505084211051047
Liu, X., Dong, F., Shui, W. et al. (2025). Blockchain in digital cultural heritage resources: technological integration, consensus mechanisms, and future directions. npj Heritage Science, 13, 235. DOI 10.1038/s40494-025-01818-4
Nooji, A., & Bhat, D. (2025). Blockchain technology and application: Blockchain adoption in digital libraries for the education and skill development. Asian Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 8(2), 341–356. DOI 10.38177/ajast.2025.9205
OBIORAH, C. A., Ndubuisi, O. G., & FNisafetyE, F. I. S. P. O. N. (2025). The Principles, Ethical Challenges, and Effectiveness of Peer Review and Publication Ethics in Academic Publishing. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.17977854
Prados -Castillo, J. F., Martín Martín, J. M., Alexeeva-Alexeev, I., & Guaita Martínez, J. M. (2025). Understanding blockchain by digital natives: innovation, trust and psychological factors. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 10(6), 100806. DOI 10.1016/j.jik.2025.100806
Qardashov, R., & Ahmedli, J. (2025). The Blockchain Technologies and Document Management in Library Environment. Akademik Tarih ve Düşünce Dergisi, 2, 966-982. DOI 10.46868/atdd.2025.902
Razaque, A., Amanzholova, S., Mutanov, G., Ussatova, O., Farhad, M.A., Kistaubayev, Y., Kamilla, S., & Adilzhan, K. (2025). An anti-corruption system for academic achievement verification in kazakhstani higher education using blockchain and artificial intelligence. Frontiers in Blockchain, 8. DOI 10.3389/fbloc.2025.1683522
Redij, J. A., & Namdas, V. R. (2024). Transformative Transmogrification: Academic Libraries' Response to Evolving Research and Scholarly Communication Trends. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH, 10(3), 53-60. DOI 10.26761/IJRLS.10.3.2024.1776
Roy, J.K., Zaher, H.F. (2025). Blockchain and sustainable finance as enablers of regenerative finance: a bibliometric and thematic review. Discov Sustain 6, 1194. DOI 10.1007/s43621-025-02036-5
Ullah, N., Mugahed Al-Rahmi, W., Alzahrani, A. I., Alfarraj, O., & Alblehai, F. M. (2021). Blockchain technology adoption in smart learning environments. Sustainability, 13(4), 1801. DOI 10.3390/su13041801
Zibani, P., Rajkoomar, M., Naicker, N., & Marimuthu, F. (2026). Navigating research data management challenges in an academic landscape: a framework for a university of technology research repository context. Digital Library Perspectives, 42(1), 5-31. DOI 10.1108/DLP-08-2024-0127