An Integrated Database for Managing E-Resource Usage Statistics

ERUS was begun as an independent study project to create a single, integrated web-accessible database for collecting, reporting and analyzing usage statistics from the broad scope of vendors providing electronic resources to libraries. The project grew into a partnership between Simmons College, Villanova University and Lehigh University in the hopes of developing a comprehensive repository for managing, comparing and analyzing electronic resource usage data anonymously across multiple institutions.

Due to the complex challenges related to collecting, analyzing and managing electronic resource usage statistics, the ERUS project (like many institutional usage statistics projects) has continued to run into setbacks and redirects for technical, conceptual, political and financial reasons. The project has been suspended indefinitely, and this website is not really maintained other than to add a few resources here and there, including the following:

To understand many of the challenges the ERUS project encountered, you may wish to review my summary of the usage statistics landscape: Electronic Resource Usage Statistics: Defining a Complex Problem [DOC]. This document was originally conceived as a research proposal to provide a comprehensive review of all the interconnected components that affect the measurement of e-resource usage.

It was anticipated that such a review would generate a thorough definition of the problem set, from which an integrated research and development agenda could be intelligently crafted. It is unlikely that this review will ever be conducted as it was fully proposed. However, this proposal does provide a useful overview. It may help newcomers to e-resource usage statistics to gain an understanding of the many aspects involved. It should also help them to effectively explain the complexities to others.

Some may also be interested in my (Caryn Anderson) NISO Usage Data Forum conference presentation [PPT] (November 2007), in which I proposed the development of a Usage Data Decision Framework to help organizations trying to figure out how to approach usage data. A Usage Data wiki [URL] has been created for the purpose of developing this framework and facilitating conversation in the usage data community.

The pages here are in various stages of development. The following are the most recent updates:

November 2007 - Addition of NISO Usage Data Forum conference presentation (November 2007) and link to Usage Data wiki to HOME PAGE ONLY.

May 2006 - Addition of "Electronic Resource Usage Statistics: Defining a Complex Problem" to Annotated Bibliography (an unpublished paper by Caryn Anderson, providing an overview of the landscape of e-resource usage statistics in the form of a research proposal for investigating key elements and challenges)

February 2005 - Information related to the January 2005 ALCTS session on the development of commercial ERM systems added to Annotated Bibliography, ERM Tools and Initiatives & Forums pages.

January 2005 - Link to newsletter article summarizing NFAIS October 2004 Usage Statistics conference posted on Annotated Bibliography and Initiatives & Forums pages.

December 2004 - The December 2004 Report on the project summarizes the most recent state of the project.

Learn about the Project

The Project Description page describes the purposes and motivation for the project, while the Project Status page contains the December 2004 Report on the project, and a timeline for the project (including links to deliverables). There are links to the informal Survey conducted in the summer of 2004 and pages describing the Survey Results (with or without raw data).

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View ERUS Report Interfaces

Non-members can explore the interfaces for requesting Custom Reports and Standard Reports and viewing sample results pages to get a sense of the ERUS system.

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View Profiles and Lists

Information includes:

Vendors List
Resources List
Subjects List

Vendor, Resource and Subject lists reflect the electronic resources currently utilized by ERUS members and include URLs for Vendor usage statistics pages, current Resource ownership conditions, and Subjects by which Resources may be searched.

These lists are available to all.

Also available to ERUS members will be their Institution Profile and the list of the Institution Programs of their institution and the subjects associated with them. At this time, these pages show examples of what these pages will look like to members.

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Review References

References include links to:

Initiatives and Forums related to E-resource usage statistics
Annotated Bibliography
ERM Tools to assist in understanding and facilitating Electronic Resource Management.
FAQs grouped by Project, Reports, Data Collection, Profiles/Lists, and Reference

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