ACRL 2017: "Using altmetrics to transform collection development decisions"

Libraries rely on many types of data to inform collection management decisions, with an emphasis on anticipating and assessing local needs, cost, and use. However, metrics such as journal usage counts and “cost per use” only tell a small part of the story of a collection’s value.

With the transition to digitally born and Web-based scholarly communication, altmetrics (“big data” about how scholarship is used on the Web) can contain valuable additional information about trending sources and scholarly topics within a collection, as well as the new tools students and faculty are using to promote and discuss scholarship beyond the confines of one’s institution or what is represented in citation counts.  

In this panel, librarians share their diverse experiences in using altmetrics to fuel both traditional and emerging collection management strategies.

Presented at ACRL 2017, Baltimore, MD, USA. March 2017.