Usage Statistics Presentation

Domenic Iannellodomenic.iannello@rmit.edu.au

Electronic Resources Librarian

Introduction

• Usage – why we care?• Usage – what do they do?• Cost Per Use• Issues• Summing Up

Why care about usage statistics

• Major investment by libraries and consortia in licensed resources

• Usage information as basis for:– Securing funding– Allocating funding– Choosing or deselecting resources– Understanding patterns of use

• A non-intrusive method for viewing users behaviours

Usage Statistics

They can…• Track usage• Track expenditure (Cost Per Use)• Track turnaways• Track usage trends• Assist in making collection development decisions (eg. P

to E projects)• Advocate for resources

Cost Per Use

• Full cost of the resource for the year divided by the total number of downloads or searches in a year.

• Calculation of costs should be in original currency and consistent.

• Set a threshold for cost per use above which all e-resources will be reviewed (eg. $15, which may be the cost for an interlibrary loan request).

Issues

• Do database vendors provide usable usage data for libraries?

• Do database vendors provide comparable data?• How do libraries deal with non standard data?• How to automate analysis and reporting of usage data?• How can data be best integrated into library decision

making?

Signing Licences

Within The Library…• Under $5,000 - in-house• $5,001- $50,000 – Library Executive• $50,001-$100,000 – University Librarian

Outside The Library…• $100,000 - $500,000 – Deputy Vice Chancellor• Over $500,000 – Vice Chancellor

Summing Up

• Online database usage statistics are essential for ongoing evaluation of online database services

• Basic usage statistics can be used to develop a range of performance measures and indicators for outcomes assessment

• Vendors must pay attention to standards compliance in usage stats

• The usage statistics can be used to justify or refine database purchases

Questions?