Document Type

Conference Presentation

Publication Date

11-17-2025

Abstract

Libraries frequently rely on variously calculated cost-per-usage (CPU) metrics, but there are other key performance indicators (KPIs) often more strategic for journal collection assessment. These other KPIs can also be more effective for communicating the value of journals. While CPU, in a variety of forms, will probably always be important for evidence-based decision-making, CPU can sometimes obfuscate the real value provided by journal packages and individual journals. We will discuss how CPU can lead to false impressions, especially at the package level. We’ll demonstrate alternative package-level KPIs, including (1) the Sub Usage Ratio, a quick indicator of package overlap, (2) the Southworth Ratio, a sortable indicator of usage trend, and (3) Subject-Package measures, which we consider the single most powerful indicator of journal package value. We’ve previously described some of these KPIs in other settings, but not as a suite. In addition to the primary KPIs, we’ll mention supplementary KPIs, useful for gaining a better bird’s eye view of journal packages, before moving onto factors and additional KPIs helpful when diving down to the journal level, including (1) Holdings Analysis and (2) supplementary usage indicators, such as the Year-of-Publication (YOP) Usage Ratio. We’ll describe how we’ve used our KPIs recently for collections decisions and campus outreach, alongside our campus-wide Collections Power BI. We’ll conclude by pointing to additional resources.

Department

Library Services

Conference Name

2025 Charleston Conference

Conference Place

Virtual

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

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