Evaluating and Applying Web Statistics: The Library Web Site

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Evaluating and Applying Web Statistics The
Library Web Site
LAB 2000Monterey, CaliforniaSeptember 16, 2002

• Judith Hiott
• Assistant Coordinator of Materials Selection
• Houston Public Library
• judith.hiott_at_cityofhouston.net

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A Little About Me

• Administrator not a techie
• Above average Access skills
• Enough computer knowledge to know what someone
  else can do
• I manage collections

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My Resources

• Large IT Department Struggling to Serve a Large
  Urban Library
• Emphasis on Infrastructure
• One Webmaster with Programming Skills and an
  Engineering Background
• An Administrative Assistant

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Electronic Statistics The Basics

• Log Files
• Internal log of every transaction received by
  the process server (Computer program that does a
  task such as email or web)
• Usually Contain
• Date and time of transaction
• IP Address of Incoming Computer
• Resource Used
• Other information depending on the program

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Sample Log File
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Methods of Compilation

• Commercial Software
• WebTrends
• Webalizer
• FlashStats
• Live Stats
• Analog
• Programmer
• C, Perl, etc.

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Definitions

• Hits
• Page Views
• Sessions/Visits
• Cookies
• Proxies
• Cacheing

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Uses of Data Collected

• Collection Use
• Understanding Audience
• Web Site Analysis
• ILS Use

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Click Thru Counts of Web Links

• Referring URL With CGI-Program attached
• http//moose.hpl.lib.tx.us/cgi-bin/connect?
  http//www.findlaw.com
• Randal Schwartz click thru program in PERL
• http//www.stonehenge.com/merlyn
• /WebTechniques/col25.html

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Sample Report Annual Use of Links
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Choices From Public Terminal Main Menu

• Houston Public Library Catalog
• Databases Online at Houston Public Library
• Internet Links Page
• Houston Public Library For Adults
• SimHouston

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Virtual Visits

• Methods of Collection
• Session Cookies
• Continuous use by a single IP Address
• Easy Remote Use Measure

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REMOTE VALIDATION LOGS

• By product of the program that validates remote
  users for databases.
• Contains
• Date and Time of Transaction
• Server the request came from
• Database link user came through
• ie what database they were passed to

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Web Site Analysis/Usability

• Server Entry Location
• Page Use Levels
• Referring Page
• Query logs from search boxes
• All outgoing traffic

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ILS Use Analysis

• Visits to the main page/Catalog sessions
• Searches by search option
• Use of e-books from the catalog

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Broader Uses of Online Statatistics
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Benchmarking

• Internal Requires Standards and Time
• External Requires Standards and Time

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Evaluating and Applying Web Statistics The
Library Web Site
LAB 2000Monterey, CaliforniaSeptember 16, 2002

• Judith Hiott
• Assistant Coordinator of Materials Selection
• Houston Public Library
• judith.hiott_at_cityofhouston.net