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Administration – Process

1. Introduction

The dissemination of print and digital books to an assortment of platforms generates a large amount of usage data. These data are collated into a single SQL database so they can be visualized using our data visualization software. These data can subsequently also be exported for Library Metrics Reports and the Activity and Financial Report.

2. Goal & Objectives

The primary goal of this process is to collate and store monthly usage metrics.

The process covers the following objectives:

  • The gathering of monthly usage metadata from all platforms we disseminate our books to, both print and digital
  • The cleaning of these data
  • The importing of these data into a central database

3. Role Model

The following roles are relevant in the context of this process and need to be assigned to persons or teams / groups involved in the process.

Role Task Assigned staff
Process Manager (PM)
  • To maintain the process definition / description (this document)
  • To perform process reviews as a basis for the continual improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of the process
  • To ensure adequate communication to increase the awareness for the process
  • To organize trainings on the process for people involved in the process
 Vincent
Metrics Officer
  • To collect all the monthly metrics data
  • To clean these data
  • To input these metrics data into a centralized database so they can be displayed
 Vincent

4. Relevant Business Objects

Business objects are “things” that are required, produced, or processed by the process or one of its activities. The following objects are relevant:

Business Object Description
Usage metrics report

Report provided by a platform containing usage/sales/distribution number for a specific timeframe
Database

SQL Database
Visualization

Data Visualization

5. Activities

5.1 Updating the Date Table (Monthly)

This activity creates a new entry in the database for the new month.

Input Month over which usage metrics are gathered
Roles Involved

Metrics Officer
Outputs

Updated usage metrics database
Actions
  1. Date Table Update
Alternative Actions, Exceptions, Additional Information

5.2 Importing Print Publication Data (Monthly)

Input Print publication metrics data
Roles Involved

Metrics Officer
Outputs

Updated usage metrics database
Actions
  1. KDP Update
  2. InvoiceNinja Update
  3. Asterism Books Update
  4. Lightning Source Update (defunct)
Alternative Actions, Exceptions, Additional Information

5.3 Importing Digital Publication Data (Monthly)

Input Digital publication metrics data
Roles Involved

Metrics Officer
Outputs

Updated usage metrics database
Actions
  1. JSTOR Update
  2. Project MUSE Update
  3. OAPEN Update
  4. Google Books Update
  5. Internet Archive Update
  6. CrossRef Event Update
Alternative Actions, Exceptions, Additional Information It is expected that over time all this work will taken over by the Thoth Metrics Dashboard. Until a full coverage of our sources has been established, we will continue to gather these data.

5.4 Importing Digital Publication Data (Quarterly)

Input Digital publication metrics data
Roles Involved

Metrics Officer
Outputs

Updated usage metrics database
Actions
  1. Thoth CDN Update
Alternative Actions, Exceptions, Additional Information It is expected that over time all this work will taken over by the Thoth Metrics Dashboard. Until a full coverage of our sources has been established, we will continue to gather these data.

5.5 Importing Digital Publication Data (Annually)

Input Digital publication metrics data
Roles Involved

Metrics Officer
Outputs

Updated usage metrics database
Actions
  1. EBSCO Ebooks Update
Alternative Actions, Exceptions, Additional Information It is expected that over time all this work will taken over by the Thoth Metrics Dashboard. Until a full coverage of our sources has been established, we will continue to gather these data.

Document Control

Document ID SPM-MET-001
Document Owner Vincent
Version 1.1
Last Date of Change March 26, 2025
Next Review Due Date
Version & Change Tracking
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