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Hoopla Digital – does a library count the circulations

Page history last edited by Kim Miller 10 years, 2 months ago

January 21, 2014

 

 

Question

 

Ann Reed (OR)

 

Perhaps Jay’s handout of e-thing by question already answered this one. So… Hoopla Digital – does a library count the circulations?

Here is what I sent the library, but I indicated I wanted to run this by ya’ll also:

 

So vis a vis Hoopla – is it more analogous to a database or to a library collection but in electronic format?

 

I took a look online and found a review from Library Journal, which describes the Hoopla Digital model:

Libraries that use Hoopla’s pay-per-circulation model provide their patrons with access to the service’s collection of media. Users can either go directly to Hoopla and sign in with their library card or begin at their library’s own website, which will direct them to Hoopla’s site to browse the offerings. When a patron checks out a video, audiobook, or album of music, his or her library pays a fee of between $0.99 and $2.99. The result, says SPL’s Blankenship, is that libraries “only pay for what people are actually using.”

 

Here are the definitions of a database and an e-audio item (e-book, e-vid and e-audio all follow same pattern):

 

Database

Report the number of licensed databases, including locally mounted or remote, full-text or not, for which temporary or permanent access rights have been acquired through payment by the local library, cooperative or consortial agreement. An example would be a genealogy database funded by an automation cooperative for the cooperative members. A database is a collection of electronically stored data or unit records (facts, bibliographic data, abstracts, texts) with a common user interface and software for the retrieval and manipulation of the data. Note that tutor.com is a service, not so much a database.

 

NOTE: The data or records are usually collected with a particular intent and relate to a defined topic. A database may be issued on CD-ROM, diskette, or other direct access method, or as a computer file accessed via dial-up methods or via the Internet. Each licensed database product is counted individually even if access to several licensed database products is supported through the same interface (e.g. via the Gale interface, a patron can access ERIC, a business magazine database, etc.)

 

E-audio

These are downloadable electronic files on which sounds (only) are stored (recorded) and that can be reproduced (played back) electronically. Report the number of units. Report only items the library has selected as part of the collection.

NOTE: For purposes of this survey, units are defined as “units of acquisition or purchase”. The “unit” is determined by considering whether the item is restricted to a finite number of simultaneous users or an unlimited number of simultaneous users.

Finite simultaneous use: units of acquisition or purchase is based on the number of simultaneous usages acquired (equivalent to purchasing multiple copies of a single title). For example, if a library acquires a title with rights to a single user at a time, then that item is counted as 1 “unit”; if the library acquires rights to a single title for 10 simultaneous users, then that item is counted as 10 “units”.

 

Unlimited simultaneous use: units of acquisition or purchase is based on the number of titles acquired. For example, if a library acquires a collection of 100 books with unlimited simultaneous users, then that collection would be counted as 100 “units”.

 

Three things stand out: 1. The library does not choose or purchase items. 2. Items don’t really become part of a library’s collection. 3. Items have finite use like items from the library collection.

 

My inclination here is to liken this to the old Dialog service where you paid for articles to be delivered ASAP online, and call it a database.  I admit, this is a fuzzy case due to #3.  I think it does raise the spirit of larger issues – such as “what is a library collection”  and “should we try to count most major items, or switch to national indicators.”  I think the library should track and maybe have a local flavor of numbers that do include this in circulation.   For keeping everyone on a “apples to apples” comparison, don’t count uses.

 

What do you think?  Would you rule differently on this one?

  

Heading to the papercutter now.


 

SDC Comments

 

Scott Dermont (IA)

 

Maybe I’ve become too set in my thinking with these, but my rule of thumb is that if the library has no control over the content, then I call it a database. If it is a database, then the library does not count it towards collection size or circulation. We currently don’t have a question regarding database use because vendors don’t have a standard way of counting things.

 

I do admit that my mode of thinking about this kind of stuff is getting out of sync with reality. As we get more of these kinds of services, we are going to have to figure out a way to count their use. Libraries need to do this anyway to justify their ongoing cost. In the beginning I felt myself very opposed to these kinds of services. Libraries are about sharing resources, not giving them away for “free.” But now I wonder if they are the future. A library can subscribe to a service that just gives the patron whatever they want – and the library pays for that item(s). It makes it a lot easier as a librarian. You don’t need to worry about fussy things like collection development or weeding. Just let Freegal and Hoopla handle that for you.


 

Terry Blauvelt (MO)

 

I would agree that it wouldn’t meet the collection requirement of selection (the library does ultimately pay the fee, which is  a purchase). I also think that since it requires the use of a library card, that it should be included in circulation figures (which may trigger edit checks and skew turns).


 

Scott Dermont (IA)

 

But generally all online databases need the use of a library card to access – at least for remote access. I would not count the use of a database as circulation just because it needs a card to access. I think doing this would vastly increase circulation figures. I think we came to the consensus at the SDC conference this year that there was no reliable way for us to count use on databases because there is no standard definition of use from vendor to vendor.


 

Patience Frederiksen (AK)

 

I am wondering if we need to consider a new circulation element:

 

Count of patron driven acquisitions, being the count of the number of items chosen by patrons annually to view or download that is paid for individually by the library for the patrons.

 

Just a thought.


 

Scott Dermont (IA)

 

I think we would have to be really clear what we are counting. It could be confused with a more general count of database use. But maybe that is OK. I think some services like Freegal would be fairly easy to count as the library is billed per transaction. Something like Heritage Quest or EBSCOhost would be more difficult to count as it would be difficult to determine what should be counted as a use.


 

Lauren Miklovic (RI)

 

Hi all,

I agree with Scott about the database usage count- I do collect monthly statistics from all of the statewide databases and it's not apples to applies.  With something like EBSCO the searches are considered the most important stat (at least from our end), while something like Mango Languages emphasizes user sessions and session time.  It would be very difficult to lump them all in and capture usage equally.  It's already a struggle at the state level, at least for me!

 


Terry Blauvelt (MO)

 

For the most part, databases only require a library card for access, not checking out specific materials. This is where OverDrive, Hoopla, etc. are different, as these use the library card to check out specific items, not general access. Furthermore, the aforementioned (OverDrive, Hoopla, etc.) have specific checkout durations and log what is checked out/circulation, whereas general databases do not (at least with any consistency). These databases mirror a regular collection, with the exception of where they are held and who selects them. Just my non-librarian point-of-view.


 

Scott Dermont (IA)

 

I think that is a good point. I was reading your initial message as a more general use of the card. I think it could help the definition to specify that these individual items need a card be “checked out.” OverDrive has not been a problem in Iowa as our two consortia are totally responsible for buying content. But my understanding is that is not always the case.

 

I do have to say that I see a difference between a service like Overdrive and a service like Hoopla or Freegal. Overdrive uses a more traditional library model where an item is checked out and “returned.” The others are basically a download service where once an item is paid for (by the library) the patron can keep and use it forever. Maybe this is too fine a line, but I see the difference. On the other hand, library directors may not see the difference. They are most concerned with providing content to their patrons, and not as worried about the model used or how it is counted. As long as it can be shown that it is being used and earning its keep, that may be all they care about. Like I said earlier, I may be stuck in the past…


 

Scott Dermont (IA)

 

I think that is a good clarification. I do think it is clear to us, I just want to make sure it is clear to the end users. But I think you’ve made a good start at it Patience.


 

Nicolle Steffen (CO)

 

I agree, Hoopla sounds like a database and as such should not be counted in circulation.

 

My 2-cents.


 

Ann Reed (OR)

 

Thanks all, good to confirm I'm running with the herd  (even if we might be running to a digital cliff).

 

 

 

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