---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- Subject: [BOAI] Interoperable repositories: usage statistics From: "Peter Suber" Date: Sun, November 20, 2005 8:17 pm To: SPARC-OAForum@arl.org boai-forum@ecs.soton.ac.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friends in India and the Developing World: It would be in our interest in taking part in this new exercise. Please read on. Arun 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