Actually, we do run statistics. I don't have access to all of them, but I do
have access to the stats for FMGs, Films on Demand.
Ours is a shared subscription by the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona
University, and Arizona State University. We were pioneers in advancing the
subscription model for FMG's product, after first trying (a little ahead of its
time) a patron-driven acquisition model.
We are not able to break out the data by institution or IP range, so the data
represents our combined use. But the figures are impressive.
For the calendar year 2010:
Collection size @7000 titles (Note this is a fluid number as some titles were
removed over the year and others added. More on the removed titles later)
Total views by title: 227,803
Total number of titles viewed at least once: 5331 (76% of the collection)
Mean (Average) views per title: 43
Median (of viewed titles): 7
(as many titles received 7 or more views as received 1-6 views)
Total number of titles receiving 6 or more views: 2984 (42% of the collection)
(This was the cut off for purchase in the patron-driven model)
Titles receiving:
1000 or more views: 22
500-1000 views: 39
250-500 views: 111
100-250 views: 339
Top 10 most viewed titles, by # of views: 7640, 4552, 3243, 2541, 2289, 1987,
1938, 1734, 1712, 1357
Cost per use? About $ .35
Now about those removed titles.... FMG reports to us before titles are
discontinued and we have the option to purchase it. We still have access to it
in the user interface. So no need to ingest into another system, etc. This
year, we opted to purchase 9 titles that had 20 or more uses.
I think we benefit from having multiple access points to the collection,
including catalog records for the entire collection in our online catalog with
links that take authenticated users directly into title on the FMG server.
Expensive? Yes. Do I think it's worth it? Let's see.... No check out, no
check in, no shelving, no MIS-shelving, no unavailability because the item is
checked out, no damage, and ability to link into Blackboard course shells for
hybrid and distance courses....
Yup, I think it's worth it.
-deg
--
deg farrelly, Full Librarian
Mail Code 1006
Arizona State University
P.O. Box 871006
Tempe, AZ 85287
Phone: 480.965.1403
Email: deg.farre...@asu.edu
> Do you run statistics on use of these things? In my experience, anecdotal
> evidence (or unsolicited individual testimonials)are not really sufficient
> to justify the acquisition of expensive curated collections.
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control,
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and
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working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and
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