The Importance of Gathering Print and Electronic Journal Use Data: Getting a Clear Picture

Abstract

A discussion of library literature that focuses on the practice and reasoning behind tracking usage of print and electronic journals will help librarians understand the complexities of use studies. The author examines both qualitative and quantitative studies by academic librarians to compare the usage of electronic versus print journals and the strengths and weaknesses inherent in the methods used. New initiatives, such as Project COUNTER (Counting Online Usage of NeTworked Electronic Resources) to provide librarians with comparable usage data from various vendors, will enable librarians to make more informed journal collection development decisions.