[OPLINTECH] EBSCO statistics in ODURT

[Stephen Hedges]

Starting with the June 2010 statistics, libraries that pull their EBSCO 
usage numbers from http://oplin.org/odurt may notice a big change from 
what they might expect.

OPLIN has discovered that the EBSCO statistics we report in ODURT have 
gradually become corrupted over the past year. In the spring and summer 
of 2009, EBSCO added the capability of performing automated searches of 
the NoveList database whenever a user performs a catalog search through 
either WorldCat or NoveList Select. These automated searches were 
included in our OPLIN statistics, but we didn't notice that until enough 
libraries had started using WorldCat/NoveList Select to create radical 
differences in OPLIN statistical reports.

At the same time that we discovered this problem, it became clear that 
our statistics included not only usage numbers for resources provided 
through the Ohio Web Library, but also resources purchased directly by 
libraries (such as NoveList).

Since our intent with ODURT is to provide a measure of patron usage of 
the databases in the Ohio Web Library, ODURT will now provide usage 
statistics only for patron-initiated searches of only the "statewide" 
EBSCO databases.

OPLIN strongly encourages any library that purchases additional 
databases or products directly from EBSCO to access their library's 
statistics through the EBSCOadmin site, http://eadmin.ebscohost.com. 
This is the only place to find accurate statistics for your particular 
usage of EBSCO resources.

Libraries that do not purchase additional EBSCO resources can continue 
to view their accurate usage statistics for the EBSCO databases in the 
Ohio Web Library at http://oplin.org/odurt.

-- 
Stephen Hedges, Director
Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
2323 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 130
Columbus, OH 43204
614-728-5252  ::  AIM: hedgesst