[WEB4LIB] Re: Library Web Page Use

Daniel Messer dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
Thu Dec 6 12:04:58 EST 2001


    That does indeed make a lot of sense. Thank you!

Dan

"Masters, Gary E" wrote:

> Greetings:
>
> Well, I have been in academic libraries for several years now, and may be
> able to give my take on why collect this information.
>
> It used to be that space was the currency of academic life.  It still may be
> a currency, but with web activity that can be translated as web space.  When
> I was at A&M in Laredo, knowing (and proving to the administration) that
> most of the web activity went to the library page could have (1) let us have
> an independent machine for the library page (2) perhaps a direct line out to
> the web and (3) more staff to run the server.  As it was, the web server for
> the University was getting overloaded.
>
> After more thought, we might have gone for more goodies.
>
> I just heard that they are getting two servers now at the library at TAMIU,
> one for the web page.  So things do improve with time - just not all of
> them.
>
> Does that help, or is it so obvious that it goes without saying?
>
> Gary
>
> Gary E. Masters
> Librarian (Systems)
> CDRH - FDA
> (301) 827-6893
>
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From:   Daniel Messer [SMTP:dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us]
>         Sent:   Thursday, December 06, 2001 10:30 AM
>         To:     Multiple recipients of list
>         Subject:        [WEB4LIB] Re: Library Web Page Use
>
>             If there's one thing I learned while working in an academic
> library it's that academic libraries really dig on statistics no matter how
> meaningless they may seem to anybody else. :) I was told
>         that, when it doubt, count it out. In other words, the supervisor
> type folks wanted me to pretty much count and note anything that could be
> counted and noted.
>             Now I'm not trying to put down any academic librarians,
> especially Mr. Hippenhammer. I'm just saying I know the nature of the beast
> and it seems like web page hits vs the rest of the college would
>         be something that ANY academic library would be interested in.
> However, I also do not claim to know everything about academic libraries,
> after all I worked for one for only a year. So like my esteemed
>         colleague with the same first name as I, I'm wondering why these
> stats are needed. Heck, it might be useful, I just don't know!
>
>         Happy Holidays to all!
>         Dan
>
>         Dan Lester wrote:
>
>         > This could be interesting for bragging rights, but other than
> that,
>         > what does it matter who gets the most?  I'd expect the library to
> get
>         > more hits than departments, unless the departments' pages include
>         > course content via Blackboard or some other similar system, or
> unless
>         > the departmental sites include lots of student-owned pages.
>
>         --
>         Mondai wa
>         The subject in question...
>         -------
>         Daniel Messer, Technology Instructor
>         Yakima Valley Regional Library
>         102 N 3rd St Yakima, WA 98901
>         (509) 452-8541 x712
>         dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
>         -------
>         When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
>                              -Hunter S. Thompson
>

--
Mondai wa
The subject in question...
-------
Daniel Messer, Technology Instructor
Yakima Valley Regional Library
102 N 3rd St Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 452-8541 x712
dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
-------
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
                     -Hunter S. Thompson




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