The COUNTER Code of Practice-Release 1

Released January 14, 2003

www.projectcounter.org

Background

Libraries need online usage statistics To assess the value of different online products/services To make better-informed purchasing decisions To plan infrastructure

Publishers need online usage statistics To experiment with new pricing models To assess the relative importance of the different

channels by which information reaches the market To provide editorial support To plan infrastructure

Academic and professional publishing is global and needs a global standard for its online usage statistics

Online usage statistics need to be……

Credible Compatible Consistent

COUNTER: objective

To develop a single, international, extendible Code of Practice that allows the usage of online information to be measured in a credible, consistent and compatible way using vendor-generated data.

COUNTER: strategy

Respond to the requirements of the international librarian, publisher and intermediary communities

An open, inclusive and interactive process Representation of all three communities on COUNTER

Limit scope of Release 1 to journals and databases Systematically extend scope of the Code of Practice

Horizontally, to cover other content types, such as e-books Vertically, to provide, e.g., statistics for individual articles

A cost effective-process for all parties involved Only one valid version of the Code of Practice at any

time

The COUNTER Code of Practice-Release 1:main features

Definitions of terms used Specifications for Usage Reports Data processing guidelines Auditing Compliance Maintenance and development of the Code of

Practice Governance of COUNTER

Definitions of terms used

Data elements to be collected Page views

Bibliographic data Page type Source of page Authentication of user Access rights

Session data Market elements

Specifications for Usage Reports

Content Level 1

Journal Report 1: Number of Successful Full-Text Article Requests by Month and Journal

Journal Report 2: Turnaways by Month and Journal Database Report 1: Total Searches & Sessions by Month &

Database Database Report 2: Turnaways by Month & Database Database Report 3: Total Searches & Sessions by Month &

Service Level 2

Journal Report 3: Number of Successful item Requests and Turnaways by Month, Journal & Page Type

Journal Report 4: Total Searches Run by Month & Service Format Delivery

Data processing guidelines

Only “intended” usage is covered Impractical to describe all possible filters for all

possible ways of generating “intended” usage records

COP specifies the criteria to be met by the data used in building the Usage Reports

Only successful requests will be counted Items generated by the server together with the

requested pages should be ignored (e.g images within a page)

Repeated clicks within 10 seconds on an http-link should be counted as only one request (30 seconds for PDF)

Auditing

Auditing will be required from 2004 Auditing processes are under development A list of COUNTER-approved auditors will be

made available

Compliance

More than one compliance level Level 1: basic set of journal and database reports Level 2: more detailed reports

Licence Agreements Standard clause offered, covering COUNTER

compliance Declaration of COUNTER compliance

For 2003 Vendors sign declaration and demonstrate to COUNTER

that they can provide at least Level 1 Usage Reports Register of COUNTER-compliant vendors

To be maintained on the COUNTER website

Maintenance and development of the Code of Practice

Full text of the Code of Practice is freely available on the COUNTER website

Code of Practice will be systematically extended

Feedback on Release 1 is actively sought Via test sites involving publishers and libraries Via feedback to COUNTER via the website,

International Advisory Board, presentations at meetings, etc.

Governance of COUNTER

Executive Committee Chaired by Richard Gedye (OUP)

International Advisory Board 30+ members Technical Advisory Group Marketing Committee

Project Director Peter Shepherd

2003 and beyond

Objectives for 2003 Promote and gain acceptance for the Code of Practice Obtain feedback on Release 1 Complete list of approved auditors Define and set up a permanent administrative

structure Full implementation by vendors for 2004 subscription

year Beyond 2003

Extend and deepen Code of Practice Cover e-books, etc Journal reporting at article level

COUNTER Founding Sponsors

AAP/PSP ALPSP ARL ASA Blackwell Publishing EBSCO Elsevier Science Ingenta IOPP

Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

Nature Publishing Group Oxford University Press The Publishers

Association ProQuest Taylor & Francis Group STM UKSG

For more information……….

www.projectCounter.org