Up to now, we just use the usage statistics data when we renew our
titles. If a journal costs less than $100, and the usage is about 10
times per year, we will still subscribe it. If a title costs about
$1,000, and the usage is about 10 per year, we will consider to be
canceled. Of course, the subject is another element for consideration.
So far, we have some titles are used for more than 400 times a year, but
most of the titles are about 10-40 times a year. Even though we are not
satisfied with the usages, we still have to subscribe it if it is for
the subject the university is teaching.

Tian Zhang

Serials Department
St. John's University Library
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
Tel. 718 990-5082
Fax. 718 990-5938
Email: zhangt@stjohns.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
[mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Sharon Landers
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 9:10 AM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] usage statistics question

Hello, everyone. I'm with a publisher of a medical journal. We're
looking at
the possibility of getting set up to provide online usage statistics
reports
to our institutional and library subscribers. We will more than likely
go
forward with this since the majority of our subscribers have requested
this
service. We are, in fact, in discussions with vendors now. One question
that
has come to mind, just out of curiosity, is what kind of usage do
librarians
expect. Do you consider usage of 10 times per month satisfactory? Or,
would
you consider usage of 50-75 times per month more reasonable? Obviously
it
depends on how small or large your particular facility is, but is there
a
standard out there that most librarians follow?

Thanks in advance for your help. I haven't posted much, but each time I
have, you've been more than willing to answer questions and help out
when
you can. I appreciate it!

Regards,

Sharon Landers
Director of Circulation
Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.
PO Box 752870
Memphis TN 38175-2870
Phone: 901.273.2705
Fax: 901.273.2747
Email: sharonL@psychiatrist.com