Application of Electronic Serial Usage Statistics in a National Laboratory

With the growth of online products being delivered to library customers, the traditional measures of library performance–counts of walk-in visitors, the number of users attending presentations, the number of classes, and the number of individual subscriptions processed, etc.–no longer, accurately reflect the increased activity and use of library products and services. E-serials usage statistics give us a myriad of information on user behavior, research trends, and collection development, and can act as important analytical tools that can in turn support resource allocation analysis, reporting, and managerial decision making. Although librarians very much need these statistics in order to assist their decision making, the usage data provided is not always suitable for local needs analysis, and librarians, including the authors, are looking for new ways to provide the information that is needed, both locally and for the profession as a whole.