2017 Charleston Library Conference

Data is easy, but insight is hard. With COUNTER, Google Analytics, and user engagement reports, we have more data than ever on how e-resources are used. Data-driven acquisition models rely on usage statistics to measure whether a resource was used, enabling cost-per-use calculations. Industry standards including COUNTER make it easier to compare similar use between e-resources. Engagement reports demonstrate not only if a resource was used, but how it was used. We can determine if content was annotated, shared, or embedded in an LMS. We can see what subjects or titles are viewed the most.

While the first step is making this data available, the next step is determining how these analytics can empower the library to evaluate true educational and research impact of services. Was the video viewed for entertainment or learning? Was it shown in a lecture or played once on a mobile device? Do views referred by the library generate a deeper engagement? How valuable is a video if only 5% is viewed? Above all, which of these questions should we be asking and how do the answers impact libraries future investment in staffing, services, and support for curated usability based collections.

We need experiments in how reports should be interpreted against institutional learning and research outcomes. In this session Boaz Nadav-Manes (Brown University), Jesse Koennecke (Cornell University), Helen Adey (Nottingham Trent University), and Andrea Eastman-Mullins (Alexander Street) will share:
• Approaches at 3 libraries that go beyond simple cost-per-use evaluation to support effective decision making.
• Recommendations on useful impact metrics and how to connect results to institutional goals.
• What aggregate publisher usage data reveals about how video is used in higher education.
• How we can come together collectively to envision how all libraries can effectively evaluate impact.