衡量機構典藏系統的新工具

如果沒有西班牙的世界大學網路排名，或者是世界機構典藏排名，不曉得你們會如何衡量貴館機構典藏系統(IR) 被利用的情況？分析log，還是直接看系統所提供的瀏覽次數及下載次數？

鑒於目前免費的機構典藏軟體(如DSpace) 所能提供的資訊有限，加上分析log也有一些問題，來自 OCLC Research、ARL及幾所美國大學的學者們發展出一套新的衡量模式(Repository Analytics and Metrics Portal, RAMP)，它能準確衡量IR中全文被下載的情況。在最新一期的 Library Hi Tech 有一篇關於此研究的報導^[1]，有興趣的人可以去看看。

這個新的衡量模式可以針對下面這3種網頁型式做分析

下面是摘要的部分內容：

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present data that begin to detail the deficiencies of log file analytics reporting methods that are commonly built into institutional repository (IR) platforms. The authors propose a new method for collecting and reporting IR item download metrics. This paper introduces a web service prototype that captures activity that current analytics methods are likely to either miss or over-report.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were extracted from DSpace Solr logs of an IR and were cross-referenced with Google Analytics and Google Search Console data to directly compare Citable Content Downloads recorded by each method.

Findings – This study provides evidence that log file analytics data appear to grossly over-report due to traffic from robots that are difficult to identify and screen. The study also introduces a proof-of-concept prototype that makes the research method easily accessible to IR managers who seek accurate counts of Citable Content Downloads.

Research limitations/implications – The method described in this paper does not account for direct access to Citable Content Downloads that originate outside Google Search properties.

在今年1月 ALA Midwinter 的 Library Assessment Forum裡，Kenning Arlitsch 針對 RAMP做了報告，底下是投影片

https://www.slideshare.net/KenningArlitsch/ramp-repository-analytics-and-metrics-portal-71390044

這個研究分別採用 Google Analytics 及 Google Search Console (GSC) 來分析網站使用情況，結果不是高估就是低估。而目前還是 prototype的 RAMP 可以對 Citable Content Downloads 提供較準確的數據。RAMP是以 web service 方式，將所有的統計分析都在 Google的雲端平台上，對圖書館來說，並不用什麼安裝，維護設定上也不用大多的程式語言技術。文中還提到有興趣的單位可以email申請，免費加入RAMP。

延伸閱讀：
1. Patrick OBrien, Kenning Arlitsch, Jeff Mixter, Jonathan Wheeler, Leila Belle Sterman, (2017) “RAMP – the Repository Analytics and Metrics Portal: A prototype web service that accurately counts item downloads from institutional repositories", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 35 Issue: 1, pp.144-158, https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-11-2016-0122