User engagement analytics case study: how customer behaviour can drive intelligent library decision making

For many years, libraries and publishers have been working with and using usage statistics as core metrics in decision making. Items that have low use are often relegated or discarded and cost-per-use data are frequently used in serials renewals decision making. Usage data on their own, however, give libraries and publishers very little insight into how content is being used or how much it is being looked at. In spite of the huge amount of data that are now available to libraries, it feels as if little progress has been made in developing metrics that may give an indication of how resources are being used and the extent to which library users value the resources provided. These perceived shortcomings in conventional usage data led Nottingham Trent University and Alexander Street to partner in piloting an in-depth view of analytics, demonstrating user engagement and impact of use. This paper shares findings on how e-resources were used, how these analytics can go beyond simple cost-per-use evaluation to support effective decision making on the marketing and promotion of resources, and how they can improve our understanding of how library users are engaging with the resources we provide