Domain: Collection Use 2017

MEASURES AND METRICS

DOMAIN: COLLECTION USE

The primary purpose of archives and special collections Repositories is to acquire, preserve, describe, and facilitate access to rare and unique holdings. Monitoring levels and patterns of collection use therefore provides Repositories with primary indicators of their success in fulfilling their mission and purpose.

Basic measure (“All Checkouts”)

Count the number of Checkouts of Collection Units for any use. Include Checkouts for Registered Users in the Reading Room during each 24-hour period and Checkouts related to other User services, such as responding to Reference Questions, fulfilling Reproduction orders and Exhibition Loan and Interlibrary Loan requests. Also include Checkouts recorded for staff uses, such as Exhibitions, Events, and Instruction, as well as routing materials for cataloging, conservation/preservation, and digitization.

Rationale:

The “All Checkouts” measure is primarily geared to evaluating the level of operational impact of collection retrieval and circulation services. It is defined in such a way as to enable all Repositories to collect and aggregate “checkout” data whether or not they have a Reading Room, or whether they track separately Reading Room, Exhibition, or other uses, as suggested by the advanced measures below. For Repositories that only track Reading Room Checkouts, “All Checkouts” and Reading Room Checkouts will be equivalent and will give an indication of User impact as well as operational impact. If the method of recording Checkouts enables the Repository to identify the use of individual Collection Units, noting the frequent use of the same Units could help to prioritize their digitization, conservation, or improved descriptive access.

Guidelines for collection:

• Count the number of Call Slips created for distinct Collection Units. If multiple Collection Units are included on the same Call Slip or retrieval form, Checkouts for each Collection Unit should be counted separately, if feasible.
• If the same Collection Unit is checked out multiple times to the same User, even in the same 24-hour period defined by a Reading Room Visit (see Reader Days basic measure under Reading Room Visits domain), count each Checkout separately, if feasible. (Note: counting each Checkout separately provides an indication of intensity of operational impact on staff although it may not relate to any difference in the amount of overall time that a User would consult a given Collection Unit.)
• Repositories that use an automated system for managing the circulation of its archival and special collections materials should obtain reports from the system that provides statistics on numbers of Checkouts as defined here.
• Repositories that use neither Call Slips nor an automated circulation management system should keep a manual tally of Collections Units retrieved and used for any purpose by Users or Repository staff as defined here.

Application and examples:

• A Registered User requests to consult a box of archival materials in the Reading Room. The box is Checked Out to her. She returns the box to staff when she takes a lunch break. Staff check the box in and put it on hold. When the User returns after lunch, the box is Checked Out to her again, and noted accordingly on the Call Slip or in the automated circulation transaction system, or by a tally mark on a circulation form. Count 2 Checkouts.
• A Collection Unit is Checked Out for Exhibition use and routed to conservation staff who prepare a mount for it and later install it in a display case, where it is kept on display for three months. Count one Checkout. If a Collection Unit is used for three separate sections of the same course or Event within a 24-hour period, count as three uses (in the same manner as three separate Registered Users within the Reading Room).
• A Collection Unit is Checked Out by a staff member for use in responding to a Reference Question. The staff member returns the Collection Unit but flags it for cataloging review. It is then Checked Out to a cataloger who improves the descriptive record. Count 2 Checkouts.

Advanced measure (“Reading Room Use”)

Count the number of Checkouts performed for Registered Users in the Reading Room.

Rationale:

Counting Checkouts of Collection Units that are consulted in the Reading Room provides a direct measure of how frequently Registered Users are using the Repository’s holdings. It can also be combined with other measures, such as numbers of Registered Users, to provide useful metrics, such as numbers of Checkouts per Registered User. Some Repositories may want to filter out multiple Checkouts of the same Collection Unit for the same Registered User during the same 24-hour period, beginning and ending at midnight, in order to more directly correlate numbers of Checkouts with Reading Room Visits. Some may want to filter out multiple Checkouts of the same Collection Unit for the same Registered User over multiple visits in order to measure the number of unique Collection Units used by each Registered User or to obtain a ratio metric, such as the average number of Collection Units used by Registered Users.

Guidelines for collection:

• If the Repository uses Call Slips to track Reading Room Circulation Transactions, Checkouts corresponding to Reading Room Use can, in general, be tallied by counting the number of Call Slips that were handled for each Registered User each day. If notation is made on the Call Slip each time the Collection Unit is issued to the User, then the total number of Checkouts can be tallied from those notations. If no such notations are made, Reading Room staff may keep a manual form or forms on which Checkouts can be recorded by simple tally marks that can be totaled for each day.
• If the Repository uses an automated system for recording Checkouts, Reading Room Use statistics can be obtained by generating a report for the number of Checkouts recorded during each day or given time period.

Application and examples:

• A Registered User is admitted to the Reading Room at 10:00am to consult a Collection Unit and works until 12:00pm. She then returns the Collection Unit to Reading Room staff and signs out to take a lunch break. She returns at 1:30pm, and then works for another hour with the same Collection Unit. Count 2 Checkouts.
• A Registered User is admitted to the Reading Room on one day and then returns the next day to consult the same Collection Unit. Count 2 Checkouts.
• A Collection Unit is consulted by two different Registered Users on the same day. Count 2 Checkouts.

Advanced measure (“Consultation Hours”)

Calculate the cumulative amount of time that a Collection Unit is Checked Out to a Registered User during a 24-hour period, beginning and ending at midnight. Record the measure in hours and fractions of an hour or minutes.

Rationale:

Tracking the length of time Registered Users consult a Collection Unit provides a corollary measure to Visit Length. As an element of a metric, it can be useful to compare average Consultations Hours per Collection Unit over time to reveal changes in collection usage patterns or different usage patterns by different User demographic groups.

Guidelines for collection:

• Consultation hours can be obtained by manually recording and tabulating the length of time that Registered Users are issued individual Collection Units, but may be more easily obtained by entering Checkout and check-in times in a spreadsheet or using an automated system that can calculate and report the total amounts of time that Collection Units are consulted by Registered Users.
• To make this an effective measure, Reading Room staff need to consistently record check-ins (i.e., the time at which materials are returned by Registered Users) as well as Checkouts.
• If two or more Collection Units are Checked Out to a Registered User at the same time, the length of time that each Unit remains Checked Out should generally be counted, assuming that multiple simultaneous Checkouts have been allowed because the User has indicated the need to consult or compare multiple Units simultaneously. In other situations, multiple simultaneous Checkouts may be performed for the convenience of Reading Room staff. Local policy and practice should determine how data for this measure will be collected and counted if this measure is used.
• If two or more Registered Users consult the same Collection Unit together (for example, students working on a group project), the amount of time that the Unit was Checked Out to the principal User should generally be counted, assuming that Reading Room staff Checkout the Collection Units to only one User in the group in such situations. Local policy and practice should determine how data for this measure will be collected and counted if this measure is used.
• Repositories with busy Reading Rooms or minimal staffing may find the data collection required for this measure impractical to maintain on an ongoing basis but may be able to manage it for a week or two at a time and thus conduct periodic sampling.

Application and examples:

• A Registered User is admitted to the Reading Room at 10:00am and works until 12:00pm, then signs out to take a lunch break, returns at 1:30pm and works until 2:15pm with the same Collection Unit. Record 3.25 consultation hours or 195 minutes.
• A Registered User is admitted to the Reading Room on multiple days to consulting the same Collection Unit. Record the total number of consultation hours for each day.
• If multiple Users are working together using the same Collection Unit such as a single volume or ledger, the Consultation Hours are the total time the Collection Unit was in use not the total time the multiple Users were in the Reading Room.

Advanced measure (“Reference Use”)

Count the number of Checkouts of Collection Units by Repository staff for the purpose of responding to Reference Questions.

Rationale:

Counting Checkouts for reference use can serve as an indicator of the effort that staff devote to meeting the needs of remote Users, often a core function of the Repository’s mission.

Guidelines for collection:

• Reference Use can be most easily obtained by using the same Call Slip or automated circulation management system that the Repository employs for recording Checkouts of Collections Units to Registered Users in the Reading Room. If this is not practical, then an alternative method can be devised for tallying numbers of Collection Units consulted by staff for reference use.

Application and examples:

• A staff member checks out a Collection Unit to respond to a Reference Question and holds the Unit for multiple days. Count one Checkout unless the system that is used to record Checkouts records a Checkout for each day or each time the Unit is removed from a designated hold shelf.

Advanced measure (“Exhibition Use”)

Count the number of Checkouts of Collection Units included in Exhibitions at the Repository or loaned to other institutions for Exhibition. Count each Checkout once and only once for the duration of the Exhibition or loan.

Rationale:

Tracking separately the number of Checkouts for Exhibition use can help a Repository monitor and make adjustments to workflows needed to support Exhibition preparation and installation and the potential impact of having materials temporarily unavailable for research access. It can also help a Repository monitor materials that may need preservation or conservation.

Guidelines for collection:

• Exhibition use should generally be counted at the time Collection Units are retrieved and Checked Out for Exhibition or loan preparations, but it can also be counted when the materials are removed from display or returned. Repositories that use this measure should develop a local policy and practice to ensure consistent data collection.
• If the Collection Unit that has been Checked Out for Exhibition use is reproduced rather than displayed as an original object, it should still be counted as Exhibition use. A Repository may wish to track separately the number of items that are displayed as original objects and those that are represented by reproductions (while counting those objects that are represented both ways only once).
• Repositories should count individually the distinct Collection Units or individual items included in a Exhibition loan request that includes multiple items.
• In similar vein, a Repository may wish to track the number of loan requests received versus the number of requests that it agrees to fulfil. This type of tracking may help a Repository understand how frequently it needs to respond to such requests and shape policies to regulate its volume of lending activity.

Application and examples:

• An original photograph is Checked Out for inclusion in a forthcoming Exhibition mounted by a Repository. It is also reproduced at larger scale for incorporation into the design of background panel for the main exhibition case. Count only one Exhibition use.

Advanced measure (“Instructional Use”)

Count of the number of Collection Units Checked Out by staff for use in preparing or presenting an Instruction Session. If the Unit is used for multiple Instruction Sessions, count each use separately.

Rationale:

Counting the number of Collection Units used in Instruction Sessions can help demonstrate the extent to which an Repository’s collections can support curricular needs and desired learning outcomes. By collecting statistics on instructional use, Repositories can monitor changes in how collection materials are used for Instruction Sessions and whether certain materials are used for follow-up assignments by session participants.

Guidelines for collection:

• Instructional use can be most easily be measured by using the same Call Slip or automated circulation management system that the Repository employs for recording Checkouts of Collections Units to Registered Users in the Reading Room. If this is not practical, then an alternative method can be devised for tallying numbers of Collection Units used for preparing or presenting Instruction Sessions.
• If the Collection Unit that has been Checked Out for use in an Instruction Session is reproduced rather than displayed as an original object, it should still be counted as instructional use. A Repository may wish to track separately the number of items that are displayed as original objects and those that are represented by reproductions (while counting those objects that are represented both ways only once).

Application and examples:

• A Collection Unit is included in three separate Instruction Sessions for the same class or student group. Count as three instructional uses.

Advanced measure (“Operational Use”)

Count of the number of Collection Units Checked Out by staff for all other operational uses besides those defined above (i.e., Reference, Exhibitions, and Instructional Use). Such uses may include the temporary display of materials at Events or their temporary removal for conservation, digitization, enhanced description or reprocessing, and other operational uses.

Rationale:

Distinguishing which Checkouts originate from various types of internal staff requests can help to put the volume and impact of those Checkouts in the perspective of overall operational activities as well as those originated by Users.

Guidelines for collection:

• Operational use can be most easily be measured by using the same Call Slip or automated circulation management system that the Repository employs for recording Checkouts of Collections Units to Registered Users in the Reading Room. If this is not practical, then an alternative method can be devised for tallying numbers of Collection Units that are retrieved for various operational uses.

Application and examples:

• A Repository Checks Out five manuscript ledgers for digitization by a vendor. Each ledger has a separate catalog record and is treated as a distinct Collection Unit, with a separate Call Slip used to facilitate retrieval and manage the Circulation Transaction. Count 5 operational uses.

Advanced measure (“Purpose of Use”)

Collect and categorize information about why Users use of the Repository’s collections.

Rationale:

Understanding Users’ purposes for consulting collections can inform the development of a Repository’s collecting policies and the types of services it offers to support collection use. It can also provide a Repository with insights on how to better promote its collections.

Guidelines for collection:

• To ensure consistency of data collection and facilitate tabulation of results, devise, adopt, or adapt a rubric for categorizing the purposes that prompt Users to use various collection held by the Repository. For example, Users may consult collections for academic research and publication, for a school assignment, for genealogical or other personal interests, for real estate or other commercial interests, for media-related inquiries, for artistic stimulus or use in creative artworks, for filmmaking, etc.
• Include checkbox options or other data-gathering prompts on User registration forms so that Users can self-identify their purpose or purposes, or have staff categorize and record the purpose based on interviews with Users or observations of User requests and behaviors. If a free text field is offered in conjunction with an “other” option, data gathered in that field should be periodically reviewed to determine whether predetermined options need to be updated. For example, a Repository may discover that Users regularly select the “other” option and write in “filmmaking” or “documentary research,” which might suggest that such an option should be explicitly listed on the form. Meanwhile, responses entered in the free-text field may be categorized by staff for incorporation into quantitative data analyses.
• Rubrics may be developed for specific Repository types, such as government archives, business archives, academic special collections and archives, historical societies, etc.
• Repositories may wish to categorize use differently for Users who are associated with the Repository or its parent organization.

Application and examples:

• A marketing department, alumni association, or other unit in the Repository’s parent organization that produces articles for publication uses the Repository’s holdings in the production of an article, video, or other publication. The Repository may choose to categorize this use an administrative use rather than a media use because the User is classified as an associated or internal user.

Advanced measure (“Publication Use”)

Count the number of citations or references to the Repository’s holdings that appear in various types of publications, print and electronic, such as books, scholarly articles, newspapers, magazines, websites, documentaries, films, etc.

Rationale:

Counting the number of references to a Repository’s holdings can help a Repository document its impact on scholarship and the general public.

Guidelines for collection:

• Because citations and references can be difficult to identify and document consistently and systematically, Repositories should develop guidelines for collecting that are practical and sustainable, and also provide the Repository with useful information.
• Some Repositories, such as academic special collections and research archives, may only wish to collect references to its holdings that appear in scholarly publications. Other Repositories, such as local historical societies, may wish to prioritize the collecting of references to its holdings that appear in news media.
• Repositories should determine whether to count references to its holdings in its own publications or those of its affiliated or parent organizations.
• Repositories should determine whether to count citations of distinct collections individually, or whether to count a sources that contain multiple references to materials held by the Repository only once.
• Repositories should determine whether to count reproductions of its holdings that are not explicitly cited or credited. For example, using an image search tool, a Repository may discover that a photograph from its holdings has been reproduced and incorporated into an online publication without its awareness.
• Repositories should determine which types of citations and references it will attempt to identify and count. For example, should a publication be counted if it makes reference to a Repository or staff member in its acknowledgements, or to a collection cited in a footnote, or an image cited in a caption?
• Repositories may wish to request Users to report citations of their holdings in publications voluntarily or by requiring them to do so as a condition of providing them access to materials or reproductions thereof through terms in a User registration, Call Slip or request form, permission-to-publish agreement, or reproduction order form. Some Repositories may request Users to send them complimentary copies of any works they publish in which their collections are substantially referenced.
• Repositories may wish to set up keyword search alerts on various Internet search engines so that they will be notified when a document is posted to a website that includes a reference to the Repository’s name or the names of certain collections. Keyword search alerts may also be set up in the search utilities of some websites and databases where publication notices are posted.

Application and examples:

• A research library asks Users to supply titles and other publication details when they submit permission-to-publish and reproduction request forms. A library staff member periodically searches book and article databases to check whether the intended publications have been published. If so, the staff records the publication information and adds them to a running annual count of sources that cite the library’s holdings for inclusion in an annual report that includes other measures and metrics designed to show the library’s impact on academic scholarship.
• An archives sets up Google alerts to search the web for references to its name, or the names of specific collections, or both, in order to monitor how and where its holdings are being cited and reproduced. A staff member verifies each alert notification with additional web and database searches, and adds verified sources to the archives’ count of sources that cite its holdings.

Advanced measure (“Total Reproduction Requests”)

Count the number of requests initiated by Users for Reproductions of materials held by the Repository.

Rationale:

Requests for Reproductions are an index of collection use, both for research and publication. Correlated with the number of unique Users, it provides a metric indicating how often Users place Reproduction requests and whether such usage changes over time or in response to changes in policies and practices. Counting Reproduction requests can also help a Repository assess the operational impact of providing its Reproduction services.

Guidelines for collection:

• Count only Reproduction requests that are fulfilled. Do not count requests that are not filled. A request may not be fulfilled because the User is directed to the material already available in a published source, freely available online, etc. A request may also be declined because of the condition of the original materials, donor requirements, or other reasons. Some Repositories may wish to monitor the percentage of fulfilled and unfulfilled requests as a performance metric, in which case unfulfilled requests must be counted in addition to fulfilled requests.
• Repositories should determine whether to count the number of Reproduction request orders it receives and fulfills, in which case the number of order forms can be counted, or the number of Collection Units retrieved for the purpose of fulfilling the orders, in which case the number of Call Slips associated with each order can be counted. Counting Call Slips will generally yield a more precise measure of operational impact, but may require more effort.
• Repositories should determine how to count multiple Reproduction requests submitted by the same User. Since only fulfilled requests should be counted, if a Repository combines several requests submitted by a single User into a single order, it should record one Reproduction request. Per the above, the Repository may choose to count and record the number of Call Slips that were used to retrieve materials for the order.
• Repositories should determine which methods of Reproduction should be counted and whether to count them separately or in aggregate. Methods may include local or outsourced digitization, photocopying, audio or video reformatting, or other types of services that result in a duplicate copy of the original materials.
• Repositories may also wish to track and tally fees collected from its Reproduction services.

Application and examples:

• A municipal archives counts the number of requests it receives annually for Reproductions of birth, death, and marriage certificates. Noting a steady increase, the archives decides to implement an online request form to make the process more efficient for staff.

Advanced measure (“Reproductions Made”)

Count the number of Reproductions made from materials held by the Repository in fulfillment of User-initiated requests.

Rationale:

Counting the number of Reproductions made offers a more precise way of assessing the impact of providing Reproduction services on staff time than counting the number of orders fulfilled since some orders may result in the production of many image files or other copy formats. It can also serve as index of overall collection use when compared with other collection use measures.

Guidelines for collection:

• Count the number of digital files or physical copies that result from the fulfillment of user-initiated Reproduction requests. Count individually each digital image or audio or video file produced, as well as each resulting page or sheet, or audio or video tape, for materials reproduced in analog formats.
• Repositories should determine whether to include Reproductions made by staff for Users in conjunction with answering Reference Questions, or whether to count only Reproductions made in fulfillment of formal Reproduction requests.

Application and examples:

• A Repository chooses to digitize an image at a higher resolution than that requested by the User for use as a preservation copy. Count one Reproduction, even though multiple digital files may be created, because the User requested and was provided only one image file.
• In fulfillment of Reproduction requests from five Users, a Repository produces 37 TIFF images, one photographic print, one microfilm, two digital audio files in .wav format, and one VHS videotape. Count 42 Reproductions.

Advanced measure (“Interlibrary Loan Requests Received”)

Count the number of Collection Units requested via Interlibrary Loan.

Rationale:

Counting the number of Interlibrary Loan requests received by a Repository may help it assess the demand for its collections and their discoverability, as well as the potential impacts of filling the requests.

Guidelines for collection:

• Count each Collection Unit requested via Interlibrary Loan regardless of whether it is loaned or reproduced by the Repository.
• Some Repositories may not participate in Interlibrary or inter-Repository loan programs.

Application and examples:

• An academic archives receives seven Interlibrary Loan requests for copies of doctoral dissertations produced by graduate students of the University as well as five requests for copies of University publications. Count 12 Interlibrary Loan requests.

Advanced measure (“Interlibrary Loan Requests Filled”)

Count the number of Collection Units loaned or reproduced to fill Interlibrary Loan requests.

Rationale:

Monitoring and comparing requests received and filled could prompt Repositories to review its lending policies or its capacity to produce digital or analog Reproductions to fill requests for which surrogates are acceptable.

Guidelines for collection:

• The number of Collection Units loaned or reproduced to fill Interlibrary Loan requests can be most easily be measured by using the same Call Slip or automated circulation management system that the Repository employs for recording Checkouts of Collections Units to Registered Users in the Reading Room. If this is not practical, then an alternative method can be devised for tallying numbers of Collection Units loaned or reproduced to fill Interlibrary Loan requests.

Application and examples:

• An academic special collections library receives Interlibrary Loan requests for ten published titles. It decides not to fill five of the requests because they are for titles in a collection in which all of the volumes have been inscribed to a donor who was a famous writer. The library sets up deflection policy in the OCLC Policies Directory so that future requests for titles in that collection are directed to other lenders. The library finds that it is able to achieve a higher fill rate after the deflection policy is implemented, resulting in increased user satisfaction and decreased impact on library staff.

Recommended metrics

Total Collection Units Checked Out per day/week/month/year

• Calculating the total number of Collection Units Checked Out for all uses over a given period of time and comparing totals across periods can reveal patterns in collection use. For instance, at academic institutions total daily use might increase towards the end of the semester when research papers are due, suggesting a possible value to Users in extending Reading Room hours during peak periods. At corporate archives, total daily usage may increase during specific business cycles or in conjunction with specific projects, providing a baseline for anticipated collection use in the future.

Average number of Collection Units Checked Out per day/week/month/year

• Calculating the average number of Collection Units that are Checked Out during a given time period can provide a useful baseline metric for comparing activity levels over time or at different Reading Rooms or Repositories.

Total “Consultation Hours” per day

• Calculating and comparing the total number of hours that Collection Units are Checked Out to Registered Users in the Reading Room each day over a given period of time can reveal fluctuations in usage levels and trends. As a metric it is a similar to “Reader Hours,” yet it is still more precise because it is based on actual collection use rather than time spent in the Reading Room. On the other hand, calculating “Consultation Hours” may be more time-consuming to collect unless an automated circulation management system is used.

Average use time per Collection Unit

• Calculating the average amount of time that Collection Units are consulted by Registered Users in the Reading Room can provide another index of intensity of use and need for Reading Room support. Do Users typically spend hours with a single book or box of archival materials, or do they tend to use the Reading Room as a “photo studio,” capturing many images of material on their personal digital cameras for later study?

Total number of times unique Collection Units are consulted

• Tracking the total number of times unique Collection Units are consulted can reveal which collections are used most frequently. This may help the Repository to prioritize collections digitization and reformatting, conservation treatments, or other actions to ensure that the materials are preserved and accessible.

Ratio of unique Users per Collection Unit used

• Totaling the number of unique Users who Checkout a Collection Unit and then dividing that number by the total number of times the Collection Units were checked out yields a ratio of unique Users per Collection Unit used. This ratio provides an index that can be useful in assessing the relative research value of collections. For example, Collection Units (and their corresponding collections) that are consulted by a greater proportion of users may be deemed to have a greater, or at least broader research value. For example, an archival collection from which 100 boxes (Collection Units) are Checked Out to 20 unique Users during a given year would have a unique-User-to-collection-use ratio of 0.20, compared to another collection from which 100 boxes were Checked Out during the same period but to only 5 different Users—a ratio of 0.05.

Ratio of Reproduction requests to Reading Room Visits

• Calculate the ratio by dividing the number of Reading Room Visits by the number of Reproduction requests during a given period of time.
• Calculating the average number of Reproduction requests per User can reveal changes in patterns of collection use that may correspond to changes in Reading Room policies, such as allowing the use of personal digital cameras.

Total Reproductions per day/week/month/year

• Tabulating the total number of Reproductions made during a given period and comparing it to other periods can reveal increases or decreases in User demand for Reproduction services. Repositories can use this information to plan staffing levels, evaluate the potential benefits of investing in new scanning equipment, or projecting revenues earned from Reproductions.

Average number of Reproductions per day/week/month/year

• Calculating the average number of Reproductions per day or week or longer periods can provide a useful baseline metric for monitoring the operational impacts of providing Reproduction services over time.

Average number of Reproductions per User

• Calculate the total number of Reproductions made during a given time period and divide that total by the number of unique Users who visited the Reading Room or otherwise consulted materials during the same period. The resulting ratio may provide insight into changes in User behaviors or Repository policies with regard to Reproductions. Repositories may also find it useful to calculate the ratio based on the number of unique Users who request Reproductions, excluding those who do not. Calculating the ratio of unique Users who requests Reproductions to those who do not may yield additional insights.

Total number of Interlibrary Loan requests received or filled per day/week/month/year

• Tabulating the total number of Interlibrary Loan requests received or filled during a given period and comparing it to other periods can reveal can reveal changes in demand or ability to meet demand.

Ration of Interlibrary Loan requests filled to received

• Calculating the ratio of Interlibrary Loan requests that a library fills in relation to the total number it receives during a given period (i.e., “fill rate”) is a commonly used metric for assessing the performance of Interlibrary Loan services. It may also be usefully applied to archival and special collections Repositories that participate in Interlibrary Loan programs.

Next: Domain: Events

Table of Contents

Introduction

Measures and Metrics:

• Domain: User Demographics
• Domain: Reference Transactions
• Domain: Reading Room Visits
• Domain: Collection Use
• Domain: Events
• Domain: Instruction
• Domain: Exhibitions
• Domain: Online Interactions

Appendix A: Glossary