COUNTER - increasing the value of online usage statistics

Abstract

COUNTER represents a valuable collaboration between all the major partners in the research information distribution community. The COUNTER Code of Practice for online usage statistics has the potential to provide a credible quantification of the value which our community returns for the investment it receives. In this article Richard Gedye and Tabitha Park review the development and uptake of the COUNTER Code of Practice since its launch in January 2003, with particular emphasis on the market research and feedback which has been obtained from both vendors and librarians. Plans for keeping the Code both up to date but also manageably stable are also outlined.