Applying Resource Usage Statistics to Internal Benchmarking Practices
Annette Williams, Deborah Broadwater, Frances Lynch, and Nunzia Giuse
Vanderbilt University, Eskind Biomedical Library, Nashville, TN

Purpose: Collection and analysis of electronic resource usage statistics are critical to internal benchmarking to enable informed decision making for collection development, for refining services to satisfy specific user group needs and for the library's budget.

Setting/Resources: Large academic library, digital library resources

Brief Description: This library is highly committed to continually strengthening its digital resource offerings to support remote resource access at the point of need. In this transition to the digital environment, librarians must learn to manage electronic resources as effectively as print. One area targeted for improvement is the gathering of meaningful usage statistics and their subsequent analysis. Evaluated in the context of user populations and attendant services/programs, these quantitative measurements enable us to determine the success or failure of our decisions and future directions for meeting user needs. By adopting the IAIMS-initiated "hub and spoke" approach to generating statistical information, the library gauges the penetration of electronic resources in its community and develops a better understanding of its user population.

Results/Outcome: By producing statistics in the form of selected user parameters, or "hubs," (i.e., IP addresses) compared to standardized units of measure, or "spokes" (i.e., resource title hits) we are able to make informed collection decisions. Last year, resource usage statistics justified funding for a large unforeseen price increase for a high-use digital resource, and determined an equitable cost sharing ratio among key medical center players.

Evaluation Method: Quarterly analyses of usage log data allow the library to continually refine services and explore new ways to provide quality services for its users.