The importance of measurement: new interface for OCLC Usage Statistics

Where there's activity, there should be measurement, since the best way to make sure you're supporting the *right* resources is by keeping an eye on how they're being used.

Usage statistics have been available for several OCLC services for years, but I'm happy to announce that we've just given them a major overhaul in terms of look-and-feel and some important interface improvements. In addition to an easier, more intuitive interface, the service now allows for emailing/exporting reports (to Excel) prior to opening one up. Since many of you simply want to grab the data and manipulate in a spreadsheet, this new feature will help you save time.

Other enhancements include: COUNTER-compliant statistics for FirstSearch databases, a SUSHI registered server (www.stats.oclc.org/sushi/ws), WorldCat Navigator statistics for Navigator groups, new help files and WebDewey statistics. Stats are now available for the following services:

• FirstSearch
• WorldCat.org
  
• WorldCat Resource Sharing
• Online Cataloging
• WebDewey
• COUNTER
• Digital Collections
  
• WorldCat Link Manager
  
• WorldCat Navigator
  

Any active OCLC authorization/password may be used to access to www.stats.oclc.org. If you are unsure of your logon information, please contact customer support at support@oclc.org. We really want everyone using OCLC services to be comfortable accessing statistics about them -- we can do a better job of improving our cooperative services if we have good information from you about how they're being used, and you can use the information to help inform decisions about the future.

If you have any questions or suggestions about how to make OCLC usage statistics better, please feel free to contact me at harnishk@oclc.org.

Kathryn Harnish
Senior Product Manager, OCLC