Understanding library users you don't see

1
Understanding library users you don't see

• Techniques for tracking and analyzing library Web
  resources

Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative
Technologies and Research Vanderbilt
University http//staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/
breeding Marshall.breeding_at_vanderbilt.edu
Saturday June 24
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Theme

• For many libraries, the number of visitors of
  their Web site and electronic resources exceeds
  the numbers that visit their physical premises.
  It's vital for libraries to understand how these
  remote visitors approach the Web site, not only
  to measure use but to improve the resources
  themselves. Marshall Breeding will present a
  number of practical techniques that libraries can
  use to better understand the use of their
  Web-based resources.
• Topics will include the basics of analyzing the
  server logs of the library's Web site,
  transaction logs from the OPAC, the complexities
  of measuring use of subscription-based electronic
  resources, and techniques for enhancing
  applications to better record how they are used.

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Understanding remote users

• Vital to providing relevant library services
• More libraries may use library resources remotely
  through the Web than from physical library
  facilities
• Must work harder to ensure that Web-based
  services meet patron needs
• Move beyond hit counters and raw statistics to
  more sophisticated analysis and assessment

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Analysis goals

• Improve usability
• Web site diagnostics
• Understand user needs
• Content selection decisions
• Improve quality of service
• Marketing
• Budget justification
• Strategy to increase interest and activity

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Data sources for tracking remote use

• Web server logs
• Application logs
• Remote tracking data (Google Analytics)
• Vendor provided use statistics (e-resources)

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Enterprise approach to analytics

• Multiplicity of Resources to track
• Web Servers
• OPACS
• E-Resources
• Databases
• Repositories
• Important to track the flow of use among all the
  librarys Web-based resources
• Beyond the library study flow to and from
  higher-level Web sites and portals (University -gt
  Courseware -gt Library)

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Web server logs

• Web servers are routinely configured to record
  detailed information about each request. Common
  elements include
• File requested
• Date / time stamp
• Status code
• Request directive (get, post, head)
• Referrer (where the user came from)
• User agent (browser and platform data)

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Example Web log

• Raw data for analysis process
• 2006-06-20 050143 129.59.150.105 GET /index.pl
  - 80 - c-69-250-131-199.hsd1.md.comcast.net
  Mozilla/4.0(compatibleMSIE6.0WindowsNT5.1
  SV1.NETCLR1.1.4322) http//www.google.com/sea
  rch?hlenlrsafeoffqseptember11televisiona
  rchive 200 0 0 11752

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Exploiting referral data

• The query string component of the referrer can be
  parsed to reveal search terms and other
  interesting information
• http//www.google.com/search?hlenlrsafeoffq
  september11televisionarchive
• User typed september 11 television archive in
  Google to find our site
• Important to study how users get to your site
• example TV News Public Web queries vs OpenWeb)

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Analysis methodology

• Go beyond simply counting pages
• Identify Sessions
• Categorize users
• Determine use patterns
• Measure interest
• Time spent on Web site
• Bounce rate
• Page overlay analysis

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Move from measurement to impact

• Establish site goals
• Benchmark current use
• Implement goal oriented improvements
• Measure impact
• Repeat as needed
• (Example enhancement of TV News OpenWeb)

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Appropriate data filtering

• Requests from indexing bots (crawlers) can skew
  statistics
• Count user requests and bot requests separately
• Performance monitors
• Link checkers
• Monitoring crawler activity is an important
  component of SEO and Web site discoverability
  strategies.

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Resource Discovery

• How do users get to your site?
• Track performance of the Web site relative to
  major search engines
• SEO Search engine optimization
• Few users begin with library Web sites

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Troubling statistic

• Where do you typically begin your search for
  information on a particular topic?
• College Students Response
• 89 Search engines (Google 62)
• 2 Library Web Site (total respondents -gt 1)
• 2 Online Database
• 1 E-mail
• 1 Online News
• 1 Online bookstores
• 0 Instant Messaging / Online Chat

OCLC. Perceptions of Libraries and Information
Resources (2005) p. 1-17.
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Library Discovery Model
Web
Library Web Site / Catalog
Library as search Destination
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TV News OpenWeb project

• Dramatic increase in Web site activity and loan
  requests through systematic and controlled
  exposure of metadata to Google and other search
  engines
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy
• Helped the Archive become financially
  self-sufficient.

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Examples of Web reporting and analysis tools
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Selected utilities

• Analog free, open source
• NetTracker enterprise level Web analysis
  application
• Google utilities
• Sitemap process for submitting Web pages for
  optimized indexing by Google with some assessment
  capabilities
• Analytics Sophisticated approach for measuring
  Web site performance

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Analog

• Free Open Source application
• Basic Web statistics application
• Includes fairly full set of static metrics
• Command line utility generates Web report
• Windows, Unix, Linux, etc.

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NetTracker

• Unica Corporation
• Enterprise level Web analytics
• http//www.sane.com/

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NetTracker Executive Dashboard
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NetTracker Bandwidth Trends
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NetTracker Content
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NetTracker Keyword Summary
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NetTracker Referrers
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NetTracker Pages Viewed
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Google SiteMaps

• XML specification for systematically submitting
  URLs that represent a Web site
• Makes indexing more efficient but does not affect
  PageRank
• SiteMap interface provides utilities for
  monitoring how the site has been indexed with
  some analytical information on terms used to find
  your Web site.

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Google SiteMaps Top Searches
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Google SiteMaps Page Analysis
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Google Analytics

• Available at no cost from Google
• Must receive invitation code
• Slanted toward e-commerce
• Conversion University training on how to
  optimize Web site for high conversion rates.
• Allows Webmasters to establish site goals and
  measure performance

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Google Analytics main
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Google Analytics overview
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Google Analytics Browser Versions
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Google Analytics Top Content
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Google Analytics Entrance-Bounce Rates
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Google Analytics Navigational Analysis
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Google Analytics Goal tracking
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Application-level reporting and analysis

• Content management systems and other dynamically
  driven Web environments can provide additional
  usage information.
• Can offer additional information beyond raw Web
  logs
• More capabilities for identifying use based on
  user categories
• Reporting can be built into the business logic of
  the application

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Examples from the TV News Web Site

• Reports of use by user category and institution
• Statistics on resource use
• Data on search types, query terms, etc.
• Ability to track all aspects of business activity

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Other sources of Use data

• ILS OPAC Logs
• Proxy Server logs and reports
• Link resolver logs and reports

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Limitations

• Cant know the intent of the user
• User success can only be estimated
• Difficult to obtain trends by user type
• More aggressive reporting might intrude on
  privacy
• Few libraries require the level of user
  authentication needed to determine use by type of
  patron

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Additional Information

• Breeding, Marshall. Strategies for Measuring and
  Implementing E-use. ALA TechSource. May-June
  2002. 79 pages.
• Breeding, Marshall. Analyzing Web server logs to
  improve a sites usage. Computers in Libraries.
  Information Today. Medford, CT. October 2005.

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Handout

• Presentation will be available after the
  conference at
• http//staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breeding/pr
  esentations/ala2006.ppt