Creating and Maximizing the Use of Usage Stats

Smita Joshipura & James CarvalhoER& L Conference

UCLAFebruary, 2009

GoalsGoals

• Step-by-step process for creating a static online Usage Web Site

• Maximizing use of this Web Site

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

• Arizona State University• Electronic Usage Stats overview• Need for Usage Stats at ASU• A-Z Usage Stats Web Site at ASU• Steps for Creating A-Z Usage Stats Web Site• Use of the Web Site for Decision Making• User Survey of the Web Site• Future Plans & Challenges

Arizona State University : One Arizona State University : One University in Many PlacesUniversity in Many Places

• One of the largest higher educational institutions in the USA

• 4 campuses:

Tempe, West, Polytechnic & Downtown Phoenix

Arizona State University Arizona State University Libraries : One Library in Many Libraries : One Library in Many PlacesPlaces

Branch libraries: 8

ASU at the Tempe campus• Architecture & Environmental Design Library• Hayden Library• Law Library• Music Library• Noble Science & Engineering Library

Arizona State University Arizona State University Libraries : One Library in Many Libraries : One Library in Many PlacesPlaces

ASU at the West campus• Fletcher Library

ASU at the Polytechnic campus• Polytechnic Library

ASU at the Downtown Phoenix campus• Downtown campus Library

FTE Enrollment at ASU : Fall 2008FTE Enrollment at ASU : Fall 2008

Tempe campus 46,595

West campus 7,694

Polytechnic campus 5,271

Downtown Phoenix campus 4,451

Total 64,011

ASU Libraries : E-Resources ASU Libraries : E-Resources Collection (2006-07)Collection (2006-07)

• Databases: 400+

• E-Journals: 61,986

• E-Books: 291,426

Electronic Usage StatsElectronic Usage Stats

• Process of collecting and disseminating usage data: Time-consuming, tedious, challenging

• Process extremely helpful, can not be ignored

• Timely, consistent and accurate usage data: critical for selectors

• Very practical and informative tool to assist librarians in collection development decisions (selection & retention)

Electronic Usage Stats : Initiatives Electronic Usage Stats : Initiatives

• ARL’s E-Metrics project : Measures for E-Resources http://www.arl.org/stats/newmeas/newmeas.html

• ICOLC Guidelines for Statistical Measures of usage of Web-based Information Resources : Developed set of guidelines to measure usage statshttp://www.library.yale.edu/consortia/2001webstats.htm

Electronic Usage Stats : Initiatives Electronic Usage Stats : Initiatives

• COUNTER - Counting Online Usage of NeTworked

E-Resources (2002) : Code of practice for measuring consistent and reliable data

http://www.projectcounter.org/about.htm

• SUSHI - Standardized Usage Statistics Harvesting Initiative : Protocol for automatic harvesting of stats in ERM

http://www.niso.org/workrooms/sushi/#about

Need for Usage Stats at ASUNeed for Usage Stats at ASU

• Substantial collection of E-Resources

• Prominent role in evaluation of E-Resources by Collection Steering Council

• Assists with timely collection development decisions

• Implementation of Web Site in 2007

A - Z Usage Stats Web Site at A - Z Usage Stats Web Site at ASUASU

• Started with 200 items (packages and titles)

• Current site : 370 items

• Identifies COUNTER compliant items

Step #1 : Compile Necessary Info Step #1 : Compile Necessary Info for Obtaining the Usage Reportsfor Obtaining the Usage Reports

• Vendor/Publisher/Provider• Storage Directory• Resource Type• COUNTER Compliant• Web Site URL• User Id• Password• Contact• Status

Step #2 : Decide on a Naming Step #2 : Decide on a Naming Convention for the Usage ReportsConvention for the Usage Reports

For example:• 2008Jn1-ArticleRequests.xls for Journal Report 1

• 2008Db1-DbSearchesSessions.xls for Database Report1

• 2008Bk1-TitleRequests.xls for Book Report 1

• 2008Usage.xls or 2008Usage.html or more descriptive names for non-COUNTER reports

Step # 3 : Create Local Step # 3 : Create Local Directories and Sub-DirectoriesDirectories and Sub-Directories

• Create 3 main directories such as Journals, Databases and E-Books for COUNTER reports

• Create another for non-COUNTER reports

• Create appropriate sub-directories under each

Step # 4 : Gather and Store Step # 4 : Gather and Store Usage ReportsUsage Reports

• Gather reports from provider

• Save them to the sub-directories as discussed in

step # 3

• Use the names as discussed in step # 2

Step # 5 : Create and Copy Menu Step # 5 : Create and Copy Menu Page to Each Storage DirectoryPage to Each Storage Directory

• Create 4 types of “index.html” with links to the various usage reports

• Copy each to appropriate set of sub-directories.

• Process for copying:– Generate directory list

(e.g. ListDirNames.bat with dir /a:d /b > dir.txt)– Copy index.html to appropraite directories

e.g. CopyFileToDir.bat with: copy index.html sub-directory1copy index.html sub-directory2

Journals Menu

Step # 6 : Create an A - Z Menu Step # 6 : Create an A - Z Menu Page to the Web Site Page to the Web Site

• Begin with a bare bones HTML page (index.html) i.e. just the header and footer

• In Excel create the body portion of the HTML page

• Copy and paste the body portion into index.html.

Body Portion of Index Page

Step # 7 : Transfer Reports to the Step # 7 : Transfer Reports to the Web ServerWeb Server

• Transfer all sub-directories

• Transfer main index.html file

Usage Web Site

Tools

Minimum tools required:

• Excel

• Notepad

• Secure FTP (optional)

Web Site Challenges

• Obtaining current list of licensed packages and titles

• Locating provider contact

• Re-designating person for receiving usage reports

• Requesting usage reports or log in information to provider usage web site

• Generating separate usage reports (FT, searches & sessions) for individual databases

• Creating Excel reports from CSV or Tab-delimited files

• Generating usage reports from web logs

Use of the Web Site for Decision Use of the Web Site for Decision MakingMaking

• Usage Stats: An important criterion in analyzing

E-Resources

• Other criteria such as price, interface, content overlap, technology, curriculum need, etc.

• Utilized for Collection Realignment Project

User Survey on Usage Web SiteUser Survey on Usage Web Site

• Recently conducted a short survey

User Survey ResultsUser Survey Results

• 50% - Response rate• 100% - Used the tool• 100% - Serves as a valuable assessment tool • 100% - Assists in timely collection development

decision making process • 57% - Data adequate• 43% - Data not adequate

User Survey : Feedback User Survey : Feedback

• Explicit definitions for non COUNTER compliant resources

• Requires regular updates of data, cost information

• Organization of data in HTML format

• Host in ERM

Future Plans and ChallengesFuture Plans and Challenges

• ERM implemented in March, 2008 with Resource and Contact information

• Coverage, Usage, and License information - Second phase

• Not all providers COUNTER complaint (about 60%)

• Manual process in ERM: Usage data requires conversion from non-XML to XML format

• Few SUSHI complaint providers

Questions ? ? ? Questions ? ? ?

• Do you have any questions?

• Do you have any comment, feedback?

Thank You Thank You

Smita Joshipura : sjoship@asu.edu

James Carvalho : jjc@asu.edu