ICOLC Issues Guidleines on Web Usage Statistics

[Ann Okerson <ann.okerson@yale.edu>]

A set of very important and pratical guidelines has just been endorsed and
released by the ICOLC (International Coalition of Library Consortia).
Please see the announcement below for more information.  ICOLC hopes that
the Library community will find the guidelines useful as librarians
continue to arrange for access to electronic resources with our various
vendors and publishers -- and particularly that electronic information
providers will consult this document in developing statistical measures of
usage for web-based indexing, abstracting, and full-text resources.

The specific addresses are:

Guidelines:

http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia/webstats.html

Press Release:

http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia/webstatspr.html


Ann Okerson
Ann.Okerson@yale.edu


********************************************************************

INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF LIBRARY CONSORTIA (ICOLC)

Press Release For Immediate Distribution- November 11, 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------

For further information about the statement, contact either:
Tom Sanville, Executive Director, OhioLINK 614-728-3600 ext. 322 Email:
tom@ohiolink.edu

Sue Phillips, Director, University of Texas System Digital Library,
University of Texas 512-495-4350 Email: s.phillips@mail.utexas.edu

For further information about the ICOLC, contact Tom Sanville
---------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF LIBRARY CONSORTIA ANNOUNCES GUIDELINES FOR
STATISTICAL MEASURES OF USAGE OF WEB-BASED INDEXED, ABSTRACTED, AND FULL
TEXT RESOURCES

Looking to increase the understanding of information usage, the
International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) announces its
"Guidelines for Statistical Measures of Usage of Web-Based Indexed,
Abstracted, and Full Text Resources".  This is the second statement issued
by the ICOLC to provide an international perspective on preferred
practices in the licensing and purchasing of electronic information. This
ICOLC document is based on the work of the JSTOR Web Statistics Task Force
but expands on that work in order to reflect the diversity of resources
licensed by the many ICOLC members.

The Guidelines for Statistical Measures of Usage of Web-based Indexed,
Abstracted, and Full Text Resources describes the types of use data and
measurement that the ICOLC members expect from vendors of web-based
indexed, abstracted, and full-text resources.  The ICOLC requires
statistical use information for their member libraries, "To ensure that
the value of licensed electronic resources is fully understood in the
consortium setting," according to Sue Phillips, University of Texas System
Digital Library director and ICOLC representative. "Adequate delivery of
usage information is an integral and required part of any electronic
product licensed by a consortium," she said.

Usage data gathered in the ICOLC-recommended categories will enable
consortia and vendors to analyze use and frequency of use without
violating the individual's privacy.  The guidelines define information
elements the ICOLC considers vital, as well as the variety of reports
necessary for accurately analyzing use data within a consortium
membership.

Elements covered by the guidelines include queries (searches), menu
selections, sessions or logins, turnaways due to simultaneous user limits,
and items examined.  Other information-specific requirements include user,
institutional, and consortium confidentiality; comparative statistics; and
secure access to statistical reports via the WWW.

This statement is endorsed by consortial representatives of the ICOLC from
the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The complete
guidelines can be found at http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia.

About the International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) 

The ICOLC first met in 1996 as the Consortium of Consortia (COC).  The
Coalition is an informal, international group that currently comprises
over 90 library consortia in North America, Europe, Australia, Israel,
China, and South Africa.  The coalition membership primarily serves higher
education institutions by facilitating discussion among consortia on
issues of common interest.  The ICOLC conducts meetings through out the
year dedicated to keeping its members informed about new electronic
information resources, pricing practices of electronic providers and
vendors, and other issues of importance to consortia directors and
governing boards. The Coalition also meets with the information provider
community, creating a forum for discussion about product offerings and
issues of mutual concern.

Further information about the ICOLC and its participating consortia can be
found http://www.library.yale.edu/consortia.

Adopters of this Statement

This statement was adopted in principle by member representatives of the
International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC) whose institutions
are listed below.  This statement does not necessarily represent the
official views of each consortium listed.  All consortia listed are in the
United States unless otherwise noted.

Consortia whose member representatives adopted this statement:
ALICE (the Appalachian Library Information Cooperative)
AMIGOS
Arizona Universities Library Consortium (AULC)
BCR
Big 12 Plus
Boston Library Consortium
British Columbia Electronic Library Network (Canada)
California Digital Library (CDL)
The California State University.
Colorado Alliance
Committee for Institutional Cooperation (CIC)
CAUL (Council of Australian University Librarians)
Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries (COPPUL) (Canada)
CURL (United Kingdom)
Florida
Center for Library Automation
GALILEO
Illinois Cooperative Collection Management Program (ICCMP)
Illinois Library Computer Systems Organization (ILCSO)
INCOLSA
Israel Center for Digital Information Services
Louisiana Library Network
MERLIN
Michigan Library Consortium
MINITEX Library Information Network
MIRACL
MOREnet
NERL
Network of Alabama Academic Libraries
New England Law Library Consortium (NELLCO)
Novanet (Canada)
OhioLINK
PALINET
Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc. (PALCI)
Pioneer, Utah's Online Library
PORTALS
SCELC - Southern California Electronic Library Consortium
SCONUL (United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland)
Solinet
Southeastern Wisconsin Information Technology Exchange (SWITCH)
Sub-Committee on Libraries of the Conference of Rectors and Principals of
Universities of Quebec (CREPUQ).
TexShare
TriUniversity Group of Libraries (TUG) (Canada)
The Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN)
UNILINC (Australia)
University of Texas System Digital Library
Utah Academic Library Consortium
VIVA (The Virtual Library of Virginia)
Washington Research Library Consortium
Wisconsin InterLibrary Services (WILS)