Using Cost Per Use to Assess Big Deals

This presentation from the 23rd North Carolina Serials Conference discussed the Carolina Consortium's recent consortium-wide analysis of its big deal ejournal packages, with cost per use as the primary metric. This session addressed the pros and cons of cost-per-use (CPU) data and considered how consortia and individual schools should best utilize the data. Bernhardt discussed how the Carolina Consortium gathered and analyzed CPU data and the impact the examination had on determining whether individual schools cancelled, renewed, or joined big deals. Seven schools were identified as having big deals with CPU higher than desired. Of those seven, four schools chose to renew their deals, while three chose to cancel. Bucknall determined that while CPU is an important metric to analyze in making renewal and cancellation decisions, it is not the only factor.