Database renewal timeline
As you may remember, the season for database renewals through WiLS is quickly approaching. Here are all the details about the timeline: https://www.scls.info/reference/eresources/database-renewal.html. As you prepare to make decisions about renewal and new subscriptions, you may be interested in usage statistics for your subscriptions. Read on for more info…
Changes to authentication and database stats
In 2018, we made some significant changes to authentication to improve the accuracy of the stats that are available. Prior to the changes, the only counts we had were pulled from script log files and gave a very rough count of how many users requested a particular resource. After the changes, users were authenticated and put into the correct library account so that vendor usage statistics could be used. The vendor usage stats provide a more accurate picture of how much the resources were actually used. Details about all of these changes are included in this Technology News blog post. Where possible, the vendor-provided stats were pulled into data dashboards on the "Online Resource Usage Statistics by Library" webpage.
Data dashboard stats 
Locally-subscribed resources
The SCLS data dashboards for locally-subscribed resources include dashboard tabs for databases where 1) a large number of libraries subscribe, and 2) the statistics are easy to obtain by library. This dashboard is updated on a monthly basis and include tabs for these resources:
- Ancestry
- Consumer Reports
- Flipster
- NoveList Plus
- Transparent Language
OverDrive
The OverDrive dashboard includes tabs for Checkout by Month (updated Monthly), Checkout by Format (updated Yearly), and Costs (updated Yearly).
BadgerLink
The BadgerLink dashboard will be updated bi-annually (in January and in mid-July). We will add tabs for additional BadgerLink resources as statistics are available.
Stats that aren’t included in the data dashboards
If you are interested in statistics for resources that aren’t included in the SCLS data dashboards, your best option is to contact the vendor.
Additional notes:
- Chilton – A link to Chilton Library stats was emailed to subscribing libraries. If you need this info again, please contact Brian.
- Gale – A link to Gale stats was emailed to subscribing libraries. If you need this info again, please contact Brian.
- ReferenceUSA – Libraries subscribing to ReferenceUSA should have received account information for running stats by email around January 23rd. If you need this info again, please contact Brian.
- ValueLine – The account for FCH, MFD, MID, ORE, VER, and WAU is a shared account and does not break down usage by library. This is the only vendor/account (that we are aware of) that cannot provide by-library usage statistics.
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