The process of gathering experimental data sources (often spanning often several decades), putting them into a set format and then producing energies is really valued by Astronomers-hence why the JQRST journal is full of "literature gathering" papers like those above. So yes transcribing old sources and putting into format gets you on the way to to publishable results!
Here are examples of papers where MARVEL has been used:
We also have two ORBYTS MARVEL papers, on TiO and C2H2. These have nine student co-authors between them!
MARVEL Analysis of the Measured High-resolution Rovibronic Spectra of 48Ti16O
MARVEL Analysis of the Measured High-resolution Rovibrational Spectra of C2H2