Interoperable repositories: usage statistics

From: Alma Swan <aswan_at_KEYPERSPECTIVES.CO.UK>
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2005 06:47:43 -0000

A major study is underway now to develop a pilot service to collect, analyse
and feed back usage statistics for interoperable repositories worldwide.
The project is funded by JISC in the UK, and is led by Dr Les Carr at
Southampton University, in partnership with the University of Tasmania, Long
Island University and Key Perspectives Ltd.

The project outline is as follows: download data are being logged by every
repository as a by-product of the Web requests they receive. These raw data
are being turned into useful download statistics for individual papers and
users by a few institutional repositories (e.g. University of Tasmania,
Southampton University), thematic repositories (e.g. RePEc) and OAI services
(e.g. Citebase). However, there is no consensus over what data need to be
collected, what filtering mechanisms are appropriate, and what analyses are
useful for academics in various disciplines. To create effective research
statistics services, an interoperable usage statistics service will be
created for all OAI-PMH-compliant repositories. This project will
investigate the requirements for UK and international stakeholders and build
generic collection and distribution software for all IRs. The approach will
be demonstrated by a pilot statistics analysis service modelled as an OAI
service provider. Working with partners experienced in analysis of usage
statistics for electronic documents, and an international consultative
committee of key OAI archive and service managers, the principal
deliverables will be:
- An API for gathering download data implemented for common IR platforms
- A set of agreed standards defining the basis for measuring and reporting
usage of materials deposited in IRs and aggregated with data from other
sources where such materials can be found.

The research to establish user requirements for the new service is just
approaching completion. It has consisted of a series of focus groups and
individual interviews with researchers and repository managers around the
world and will provide the basic spec upon which the software is developed.
Before this phase is finally wound up, I would be interested in hearing from
any researchers, repository managers, gateway managers or service providers
who have views on what kind of usage statistics would be useful to them or
their constituency. Replies on or off list would be very welcome.

Alma Swan
Key Perspectives Ltd
Truro, UK
Received on Sun Nov 20 2005 - 12:24:03 GMT