[Eril-l] Database cost-per-use

[Mock, Emily]

Hi Melissa,

I hadn’t given much thought to the difference between Record Views and non-COUNTER abstracts – that’s an interesting point. I’m looking forward to COUNTER 5, although I’m sure it’s going to take a while for widespread compliance, given the number of vendors still using COUNTER 3.

Thanks!

Emily

From: Melissa Belvadi [mailto:mbelvadi at upei.ca]
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2017 10:02 AM
To: Mock, Emily <emock at albany.edu>
Cc: eril-l at lists.eril-l.org
Subject: Re: [Eril-l] Database cost-per-use

If it's a full text database, the only metric that matters to us is FT uses, because that characteristic of the database is overwhelmingly the basis for its cost.  Note that FT views is a mess with COUNTER4 because PDF versus HTML views and possible overlap of both for the same use is tied to the platform's UI. COUNTER 5 is going to fix this, but that's not going to be available until 2018, I think.  I use total FT in the absence of anything better because I'd rather err in not cancelling something that is being undercounted because users just use the HTML but I know that the total is probably an overcount. If anyone has a list of which major platforms lead patrons directly into an HTML full text from the TofC, for instance, I'd like to see that.

If it's an A&I database and the vendor provides non-COUNTER "abstracts viewed" data, like EBSCO does, we use that metric.   I'm not comfortable with what "record views" means when a database is incorporated into our discovery service (EDS) in terms of whether it reflects real patron interest.
Note that COUNTER5 is also heading towards giving us better, title level data, for non-FT products.

Melissa

On Thu, May 25, 2017 at 10:49 AM, Mock, Emily <emock at albany.edu<mailto:emock at albany.edu>> wrote:
Hello,

I’m working on a project involving cost-per-use statistics of our databases, and I’m wondering which metric(s) others use to make this kind of calculation. It’s obvious there isn’t going to be one metric that works for every database, since it’s dependent on what kind of usage data they provide, but even among the ones that provide COUNTER reports, which metric do you find most useful? Result Clicks? Record Views? Does it depend on the type of database?

I’d appreciate any input or advice you can give!

Thanks,
Emily Mock

Coordinator for Gift Books & Collections Assessment
University at Albany
University Libraries, LI-B34D
1400 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12222
518-442-3627<tel:(518)%20442-3627>
emock at albany.edu<mailto:emock at albany.edu>


_______________________________________________
Eril-l mailing list
Eril-l at lists.eril-l.org<mailto:Eril-l at lists.eril-l.org>
http://lists.eril-l.org/listinfo.cgi/eril-l-eril-l.org



--
Melissa Belvadi
Collections Librarian
University of Prince Edward Island
mbelvadi at upei.ca<mailto:mbelvadi at upei.ca> 902-566-0581


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.eril-l.org/pipermail/eril-l-eril-l.org/attachments/20170525/5f2c6b1d/attachment-0001.html>