Answering that properly means knowing what each resource costs you per use. Most librarians can produce that number for one or two agreements. Far fewer can produce it consistently across a whole portfolio, and a cost-per-use figure you can't compare against anything else doesn't help you decide.
The problem isn't the formula. It's the data behind it.
Usage is spread across publisher platforms, SUSHI feeds, emails, downloaded reports and spreadsheets. Some of your most expensive resources may not support COUNTER at all. Even with the usage in hand, you still need to know what the agreement actually included, which period and cost to use, and which metric makes sense.
In this practical session, CELUS and ConsortiaManager show how to bring those pieces together and build cost-per-use figures you can defend in front of your director, finance office or faculty committee.
Agenda
We'll take a real agreement from price and scope through usage to title-level cost per use, including both COUNTER and non-COUNTER data, and show what the resulting numbers can tell you.
Audience
E-resources, acquisitions and collection development librarians, and anyone responsible for evaluating or defending a collections budget.
You don't need to use CELUS or ConsortiaManager to attend. The principles apply whether you work with dedicated tools, spreadsheets, or a mix of both.
