Memo on JR5 as base COUNTER report

Analysis of the Value of JR5 YOP Reports

The advantages of using the JR5 report is that it includes all of the information of the JR1 plus year of publication information. So, when we have a database with a paid archive, such as Wiley or XXXXX, we can determine the true value of what the subscription price covers.

Using Wiley as an example, the CO contract generally covers content back to 1997. In addition, the CO purchased the Wiley/Blackwell backfiles (earlier than 1997). 

CSULB Wiley usage for 2014 was as follows:

• 8% of the usage was for the archive.
• 35% was for the most recent 2 years (generally content where there might be overlap with a 12-18 month embargo)
• 57% for 1997-2012. Most of this content we have perpetual rights to because of previous contracts.

So in figuring cost/download:

• We should remove the 8% usage.
• We should remove some part of the 57%.

How this affects cost/download:

Looking at cost/download for a whole database is just one metric, which can be valuable when comparing databases. The JR5, however, also allows us to see some interesting usage at the title level.

For example, in Wiley the Journal of Communication has more usage in the archive than it does in the most current 2 years, perhaps because more recent usage stays within the EBSCO databases, where we have coverage up to the last 12 months.

More to come....