Beyond COUNTER-Compliant: Ways to Assess E-Resources Reporting Tools

Abstract

This article describes the implementation of ProQuest's usage assessment tool, 360 COUNTER [Counting Online Usage of Networked Electronic Resources], at Yale University Library, and the subsequent methods used by Yale's E-Resources Group to assess the accuracy of its reporting output compared to the original data seen in COUNTER reports. The assessment of the usage reporting tool took place in multiple phases, and involved working closely with ProQuest to understand how COUNTER data were being normalized behind the scenes for consolidation to the Authority Title. The assessment method used to evaluate the reporting accuracy can be adapted and modified for other usage assessment tools. This article also discusses how Yale has begun to modify the use of 360 COUNTER over time, using it in combination with a home-grown system built within Tableau.