Do you need a crash course in Counter 5 Metrics?
We knew it was coming. Many of our database vendors have already stopped producing usage stats in the old Counter 4 format, and are only offering stats in Counter 5 now.
There's a lot to know, including:
- New definitions of the Counter 5 metrics:
- Total vs. Item Unique Investigations
- Total vs. Item Unique Requests
- What's the difference between investigations and requests?
- How and what do they count (or NOT count)?
- How do they translate to the old Counter 4 usage stats?
- Just what stats should I be tracking now?
- What reports will give me those stats?
Here are some additional learning resources to get you started:
The Counter Project Foundation Classes video series on YouTube.
- Metric Types * (Definitions)
- Reports *
- Metrics & Reports: Putting it all Together *
- Attributes, Elements & Other Slightly Techy Things
- Book Reports
- Database Reports
- Journal Reports
- Understanding the Use of Open Access Content
- Working with Counter 5 Reports in Microsoft Excel
- Platform Reports
- Usage in the Time of the Pandemic
Handouts and Guides:
* THE FRIENDLY GUIDE TO RELEASE 5 FOR LIBRARIANS
- This guide seems to track along with videos 1-2-3 of the Foundation classes listed above.
- Written by Tasha Mellins-Cohen, this guide will help Librarians prepare for Release 5 of the COUNTER Code of Practice.
- Offers a wealth of info about the new Metrics, Master Reports and Standard Views.
- Includes a map of key Release 4 reports to their Release 5 counterparts.
- User scenarios illustrated with Counter 5 reports.
- Journal Stats
- Book Stats
Silverchair Counter 4 to Counter 5 Release Transition User Guide
Another video:
A Practical Guide to COUNTER Release 5 from ASERL on Vimeo
(November 2020; about 1 hour)
Some useful notes:
Counter 5 Metric Types & Definitions:
