Counter: Counting Online Usage of Networked Electronic Resources

"The use of online information resources is growing exponentially. It is widely agreed by producers and purchasers of information that the use of these resources should be measured in a more consistent way. Librarians want to understand better how the information they buy from a variety of sources is being used; publishers want to know how the information products they disseminate are being accessed. An essential requirement to meet these objectives is an agreed international Code of Practice governing the recording and exchange of online usage data. COUNTER has developed just such a Code of Practice.

Release 1 of the COUNTER Code of Practice, which focuses on journals and databases, was agreed in December 2002 and is published in full on this website. Future releases of the Code of Practice will extend its coverage to other categories of online content.

COUNTER is widely supported by the international community of librarians and publishers, as well as their professional organizations, including:

• AAP, Association of American Publishers
• ALPSP, The Association of Learned & Professional Society Publishers
• ARL, Association of Research Libraries
• ASA, Association of Subscription Agents and Intermediaries
• BIC/EDItEUR
• JISC, Joint Information Systems Committee
• NCLIS, National Commission on Libraries and Information Science
• NISO, National Information Standards Organization
• PA, The Publishers Association
• STM, International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers
• UKSG, United Kingdom Serials Group" [via TVC Alert]

Library Set to Book Wireless Internet

"Wireless Internet access soon be may available through the Homewood Public Library.

The library's proposal to install an antenna for on the village water tower to provide wireless Internet access has received tentative approval from the Homewood Village Board.

An agreement between the library and village for the space will come back before the board in the next few months.

The antenna would provide the library with a high-speed Internet connection at a low cost, administrative librarian Cindy Rauch said.

The library uses a T-1 line from the Harvey Public Library, which is expensive, she said.

Businesses also may be able to use the wireless access, Rauch said.

If the library is able to offer the service to businesses, an antenna on top of the library building would transmit the service to businesses....

The wireless Internet system will move data as at 3.5 megabits per second, compared about 1.5 megabits per second for the library's T-1 connection, Pfaff said.

Mayor Richard Hofeld noted a range of 10 miles would be enough to cover the entire village, including residents.

'It's a great idea,' Hofeld said.

Trustee Bob Wilson wants to know how the library will use the service. If the library plans to use it as a profit center, the village might charge a higher lease rate for space on the water tower, he said." [The Daily Southtown, thanks Gloria!]

Homewood is one of my SLS libraries (how come I had to hear this through the newspaper?!), so I'll keep you posted.

Hey, Homer Glen has a water tower that's only a couple of miles from my house!  :-)