News Release: IDEAL Usage Statistics

[Ann Okerson <aokerson@pantheon.yale.edu>]

Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 15:31:47 EDT
From: ddecooman@acad.com
Subject: News Release:  IDEAL Usage Statistics

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USAGE STATISTICS REVEAL SIGNIFICANT VALUE GAINED
Through Licensing Journal Collections on IDEAL(R)

San Diego, June 14, 2001 - Analysis of recent usage data is illuminating
benefits gained by customers of IDEAL, Harcourt's online library serving
science, technology and medicine researchers. IDEAL offers resources
including STM journals from Academic Press and Harcourt Health Sciences..

IDEAL delivers significant value, according to analysis of usage statistics
from the year 2000 for a representative sampling of library or consortial
licensees.

Libraries licensing IDEAL's collections of AP and HHS-U.K. journals gain
online access to more journals than are held in their print collections -
for a cost below that of their print subscriptions. Data shows widespread
use of this expanded access.

The sampling encompasses approximately 15% of last year's consortial
licensees, or 250 institutions. Located in nine countries, these
institutions generated 1,0272,971 downloads - 25% of all IDEAL downloads
for the year. The sampled institutions on average drew 32% of downloads
from articles not in their print holdings.

Looking at the same data by region shows that IDEAL downloads from
non-print holdings averaged 48% among European institutions, 36% among
United Kingdom institutions, 29% among institutions in Japan, and 23%
among ones in the United States. These averages solely comprise electronic
downloads and do not reflect numbers of times users consulted printed
journals.

Based on information presented in studies (such as that detailed at
<http://www.arl.org/access/illdd/illdd-measperf9712.shtml>) and subsequent
updates from the Association of Research Libraries, the average cost when
adjusted for inflation of an interlibrary loan (ILL) can be estimated at
$35.

"Superficially speaking," said Academic Press President Dr. Pieter Bolman,
"this indicates a savings of about 12 million dollars for our licensees..
However, we realize that users are currently exploring new resources and
that each download would not necessarily translate to an ILL request.

"Nonetheless, from 1999 to 2000, the average download growth was 54% -
suggesting that as users' behavior matures, savings will still be
considerable."

Analysis of IDEAL-user profiles also demonstrates that one licensing model
does not fit all, and that some institutions should consider licensing
individual journals and articles. Evidence demonstrates, however, that
most institutions gain the greatest value through access to an entire
collection of IDEAL journals.

IDEAL licensing options include the pick-and-choose Individual
Publications License - delivering access to specific journals, as well as
the pay-per-view service IDEALOnDemand which delivers access to individual
articles. These options are available for Academic Press and Harcourt
Health Sciences journals.

Each IDEAL consortial or collection licensee receives usage statistics on
an individualized, private Web site. These statistics, updated monthly,
inform IDEAL customers as they make purchasing choices and plan for
anticipated changes in informational needs.

IDEAL licensing consultants can help customers review usage statistics and
evaluate information-technology needs. More information on these
consultants appears at 
<http://www.academicpress.com/www/ideal/IDEALconsultants.htm>.

The International Digital Electronic Access Library, IDEAL, is licensed in
33 countries by more than 2,200 academic institutions and industrial and
pharmaceutical companies. Over 10 million users worldwide are authorized
to use IDEAL.

Today IDEAL offers approximately 200,000 journal articles, as well as
access to other electronic research products such as IDEALReferenceWorks
encyclopedias and information systems from SciVision.

IDEAL is the online library of the Harcourt Worldwide STM Group. Academic
Press is a Harcourt Science and Technology Company and part of Harcourt's
Worldwide Scientific, Technical and Medical Group. Academic Press is an
international multiple-media publisher of high-quality journals, book
serials, major reference works, databases, textbooks and monographs.

Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Harcourt, Inc., Harcourt General
(NYSE: H) is a leading global multiple-media publisher, providing products
and services to classroom, corporate, research, medical and consumer
markets.

IDEAL is a registered trademark of Harcourt, Inc. More information about
IDEAL appears at <http://www.idealibrary.com>.

This news release appears online at:
<http://www.apnet.com/www/ideal/pressreleases/ustats.htm>.

# # #

Contact: Daria DeCooman
Academic Press
(619) 699-6283
ddecooman@acad.com
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