[Eril-l] counting databases for IPEDS

[Mark Winek]

We're pulling data for the FY15 IPEDS report. I'm getting stuck on the
"Databases (Digital/Electronic)" question.

I can go into my ERM KB and see how many "databases" are tracked. However,
this includes four flavors of ABI/INFORM - one we license, three more that
we have access to through the first license. Is that one database or four?
I also have collections of multiple years of Springer ebooks in computer
science, each tracked separately? Do these count as one database or 8?
While they are an annual update (and thus qualify as a single database,
according to the data definition), the content is not updated, just new
titles are added that need to be purchased.

The definition reads:

"Digital/Electronic Databases -
Report the total number of licensed digital/electronic databases in your
collection if there is bibliographic or discovery access at the database
level. Each database is counted individually even if access to several
databases is supported through the same vendor interface.  A database is
collection of electronically stored data or unit records (facts,
bibliographic data, and texts) with a common user interface and software
for the retrieval and manipulation of the data. The data or records are
usually collected with a particular intent and relate to a defined topic.
Do not include discovery systems in the count of databases. Do not include
"individual releases" such as annual updates of content or the migration of
the user interface to the next vendor-release (i.e., interface version 3.0
replaces version 2.0) as separate databases."

All of the definitions are at
https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/VisInstructions.aspx?survey=15&id=30103&show=part

Does anyone have any insight?

Thanks!
Mark Winek

[image: Library-logo-ES.png]

Mark D. Winek

Head, Electronic Resources & Serials

202-687-0774

mdw65 at georgetown.edu
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