RE: COUNTER: current status and advice to users

["Hamaker, Charles" <cahamake@email.uncc.edu>]

I think there are a lot of questions where e-book usage data 
might provide some guidance.

* As others have noted, we report overall e-usage statistics for 
annual reports to various reporting agencies.

* It also helps to know how successful you were in making the 
original purchase decision if it was based on the idea it would 
be used extensively.

* Are they "taking off" and should we be actively searching for 
more e-book content.

* What are the characteristics of successful platforms for 
e-books.

* Are there subject areas that are more important for e-book 
users?

Although not eBooks various one time database purchases can tell 
me if there is Escalating usage there's a demand for that type of 
material from the periods covered and may signal I need to be 
more sympathetic to other offers of material in that particular 
time period/geographic range/subject area.

I also want to know what happens with backfile purchase of 
publisher archives, to help judge the next time that particular 
group of faculty and librarians comes to the table with some 
similar backfile product

Chuck Hamaker
Associate University Librarian Collections and Technical Services
Atkins Library
University of North Carolina Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223