From: Andree Rathemacher <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:02:33 -0400
My only brief comment is that when our Elsevier rep visited to begin
discussions about big deal pricing for our next contract, he
de-emphasized usage, stating that it's not always the best measure,
and that usage isn't growing like it used to, or something like that.
(And our high levels of usage used to be something they would point to
as proof we were getting value for our money). I agree that it would
be interesting to hear publishers weigh in here along with
librarians...
Andree Rathemacher
URI
On Tue, Apr 17, 2012 at 6:30 PM, LIBLICENSE <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> From: Ann Shumelda Okerson <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:24:35 -0400
>
> Dear All: There's a discussion thread on the "lis-e-resources group"
> (UK) regarding an apparent decline in usage statistics for various
> electronic resources. Not all resources data are down, but a large
> number are, it would seem.
>
> If your library has experienced this, to what do you attribute it? What
> actions are being taken? (cancellation, user education, implement
> discovery systems, etc?)
>
> See, my own fledgling theory all along has been that e-use has been
> hugely growing BUT that there are real limits. The question is, when
> would we observe these? I.e., as the number of e-resources online
> moves from zero (15 years ago) to 100% (let's also pretend that in 10
> years everything that wants to be converted from print will have been
> converted, plus there will be all the new stuff), usage of resources will
> at least level off.
>
> It's routinely observed that some high percentage of print (academic)
> library resources are rarely if ever used (40%), and in a given year
> perhaps up to 80% of a research library's print resources aren't used.
> Are we heading in a parallel direction for electronic info?
>
> Perhaps librarians AND publishers would chime in here on this topic,
> for a breadth of experience.
>
> Thank you, Ann Okerson
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