Use case 8: Large-scale behaviour analysis

Use | Supply

Description

Systems which rely on the analysis of data, whether user activity data, holdings, circulation or anything else, benefit from having larger volumes of data to interrogate. Operating these services at an intra-institutional level can multiply the volume of data.

Illustrative example: The University of Complex Problems’ heuristic analysis system [use-case 5] has proved very successful, and a number of similar institutions have formed a shared service to operate it nationally. The new “Bibliographic Records Analysis Insight Network (BRAIN)” service is run by another institution that has a more appropriate technical infrastructure available. The bibliographic and circulation data are transferred to the service daily, along with anonymised user data. Recommendations are generated by the service on an ad hoc basis using a web service that the member institution OPACs call when displaying records.

Record flow

The bibliographic records are "transferred" to the service, and analysis information is returned. The types of record flow are described in detail here.

Current examples

None known. The MOSAIC project is establishing a similar shared service, but does not transfer bibliographic records (it is concerned only with user behaviour).

Discussion

This case involves the flow of records to an external organisation, but whether that flow is "use" or "supply" depends on the relationships between the UCP and the BRAIN service. If BRAIN is constructed (in terms of corporate structure and contractual basis) so that it is performing a service for UCP, it could be seen as use.

Please note that the legal implications for your institution of this use case will depend upon your specific contractual relationships - for more information see the discussion of suppliers' and libraries' current viewpoints on what is allowable, and the legal environment. 

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