With the introduction of Release 5.1 of the COUNTER Code of Practice, there are some important changes in how book usage metrics are reported. This guide will help you understand these changes and how to compare metrics between Release 5.0 and 5.1.
Key Changes in Release 5.1
Item-Level Reporting:
- Release 5.0: In COUNTER 5.0, an "item" refers to a full book, not a chapter. Springer Nature used a custom metric "SN:Total_Chapter_Requests" to show chapter-level usage.
- Release 5.1: The method for counting book usage has changed. In COUNTER 5.1, each item used (chapter, reference entry, article) is counted as a Unique_Item_Investigation or Unique_Item_Request. Consequently, the "SN:Total_Chapter_Requests" custom metric becomes obsolete and is no longer available.
Title-Level Metrics:
The title-level metrics "Unique_Title_Investigations" and "Unique_Title_Requests" remain consistent between Release 5.0 and 5.1. These metrics are useful for comparing overall book usage across both releases.
Internal Changes at Springer Nature
Starting January 1, 2025, Springer Nature enabled the full book download button for large books on Springer Nature Link. Previously, it was not possible to download books with more than 100/200 chapters as a single file. This internal change may lead to higher item-level usage figures in Release 5.1 compared to the "SN:Total_Chapter_Requests" figures in Release 5.0.
Recommendations for Comparison
- Use Title-Level Metrics: To compare book and reference work usage between Release 5.0 and 5.1, we recommend focusing on title-level metrics: "Unique_Title_Investigations" and "Unique_Title_Requests." These metrics provide a consistent basis for comparison.
- Consider the Impact of Full Book Downloads: Be aware that the introduction of full book downloads for large books may lead to higher item-level usage figures in Release 5.1. This should be taken into account when analysing trends and usage patterns.