Usage Statistics/emerald

["Hamaker, Chuck" <cahamake@email.uncc.edu>]

I've been working with Emerald's(formerly MCB) statistical reporting
package today and I'm really impressed with the very powerful data
collection and analysis that is available. I don't know who developed it,
or how, but WOW!

For example, At the title level, you can get time and date stamped
information on use. If there is a "spike" in a monthly use, its simple in
their html version--to find out why. For one instance is was one title wih
heavy use, and it was easy to call up its use that month, see the peak
day, adn then look at the time stamping and notice that all that month's
heavy use was in two hours on one day. I also really liked seeing overall
use data graphed. Some of our heavier use was on Saturdays for several
titles. I'd love to have comparative data from other sources to see if
this is a normal pattern!

I think its the best reporting choices I've seen. I'm more impressed with
their Html version than the ""FLASH" graphics package, but even their CSV
, - delimited file has a really suprising range of information.

I've been a critic of Emerald's products before; however, in terms of
useful statistics easily available, I think they have more relevant
information than about any generally available statistical reporting for
library use of e-journals, e-resources than anything I've seen before.

For me, it was an eye opener of what could be done. I think the folks at
Emerald, or whoever designed their package, knew what they were doing. or
were at least willing to provide access to a wealth of data for analytical
purposes.

If you have subscription(s) to their products, take a look at what they've
done. I think its a pretty good indicator of what can be done and may just
help us all in thinking about what we need from our e-resources to assist
in decision making.


Chuck Hamaker
Associate University Librarian for Collections and Technical Services
Atkins Library
University of North Carolina Charlotte
704 687-2825