Statistics are counted from the 1st of August to the 31st of July in any given year; the deadline for submission this year is 31 January 2025.

A definition for each question is provided within the web-based form, along with general guidance.

A number of Frequently Asked Questions are answered below.

If you have any other queries on the return or the data collection process, please contact sonya.white@hotmail.co.uk.

FAQs

Can I see a copy of the latest questionnaire (and its notes and definitions)?
A spreadsheet of the latest return is available here.

How can I add data or make changes after the return has been submitted?
Email sonya.white@hotmail.co.uk with the details, and they will make the changes for you.

How can I access the notes and definitions after my return has been submitted?
A copy of the notes and definitions for the return is available here.

Can I change a figure supplied in a previous year?

Yes – Email sonya.white@hotmail.co.uk with the details, and they will change the web database.

How can I obtain my institution’s return after submission?

Zoho Survey doesn’t send this automatically to users, so please email lisa.mclaren@sconul.ac.uk if you would like a copy sent to you afterwards.

How do I calculate full-text article requests if COUNTER R4 JR1 data is not available?

Where R4 data [R4 JR1] is not available,, use whatever usage statistic gives the nearest match, with a preference for R5 data where available. You can find a table on the COUNTER website that presents the equivalent R4 metric types and R5 Metric Types and filters by report.

How should I calculate user hours spent in training (4.8)?

For each training session, multiply the number of users by the length of the session - e.g.

30 students in an Information Retrieval session of 1 hour = 30 person-hours; 60 students on a 10-minute tour = 10 person-hours

Then, add together the figures for all training sessions to obtain an annual total.

We have a converged service - how do I allocate financial data which is now all in one budget?
Any expenditure which is not identifiable with the library should be allocated proportionately to staffing in each part of the service.