Statistics Drive Marketing Efforts

Possessing subscriptions to electronic resources does not automatically guarantee their usage by library patrons. As the costs for electronic resources continue to rise, libraries must validate the expenditures for these products. Usage statistics can supply librarians with substantial amounts of information regarding the usage habits by patrons of electronic resources. These statistics are one method by which to quantify the databases that are being used heavily by patrons, as well as a method to identify those being underutilized. There are a number of factors that may influence the level of database usage, including breadth of subject and journal title coverage, full-text coverage, and the extent of retrospective coverage. However, another critical factor that affects the level of usage is the library patron&s;s awareness of the resources available in the library to aid them in conducting their research. The rapid growth in the number of electronic resources requires the library&s;s commitment to promoting these resources and providing efficient access to these research tools.