Usage statistics as a measure of value

[Heather Morrison <heatherm@eln.bc.ca>]

When using usage statistics as a measure of value of a particular title or
database, it is important to keep in mind that there is now a great deal
of open access material available.  It is possible that your users are
making excellent use of a resource, but your statistics may not reflect
the full use if some of the use is of the open access materials.

My suggestion is that these potential uses should be taken into account
when deciding whether to keep or titles.  Otherwise, libraries may
accidentally cancel the journals of the most generous and forward-thinking
publishers.

To find out whether a particular journal or publisher allows for
self-archiving (and therefore usage statistics may be underestimated),
check the SHERPA listing at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo.php

A Romeo green publisher is one that allows for self-archiving.  For
example, the American Physical Society is a Romeo green publisher.  In
physics, faculty are likely making good use of the arXiv preprints service
- but, their formal peer review and publishing is important to them, so
they are unlikely to want to cancel APS journals.  (Plus, their content is
increasing and prices decreasing - definitely a trend that libraries can
afford to support for a change).

Elsevier is another example of a green publisher, with the exception of
the Cell Press titles.  What this means is that your subscription
statistics for Cell Press titles are likely the full story, whereas with
other Elsevier titles the statistics could be understated, not taking into
account articles faculty have placed in institutional archives, that sort
of thing.

Thoughts?

A purely personal view by -

Heather G. Morrison
Project Coordinator
BC Electronic Library Network
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Phone: 604-268-7001
Fax: 604-291-3023
Email:  heatherm@eln.bc.ca
Web: http://www.eln.bc.ca