AudreyHo 's Public Library

Figure 1 shows that:

• 
  
  For most titles there is high use of the search engines
  and a low use of tables of contents. This could mean that users more often
  look for a known reference than browse the table of contents. There are a few
  titles which are exceptions to this such as Review of Modern Physics and Physics
  of Plasmas.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  For some titles the usage of abstracts and of articles (viewed
  or downloaded) is similar. We cannot say if readers view abstracts before accessing
  the articles because we do not have data on whether the same abstracts and
  articles are used but this seems likely.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  American Journal of Physics (AJP) and Journal of Physics and Chemistry Reference
  Data (JPCRD) are used very differently. In the case of AJP readers seem to
  access articles directly whereas for JPCRD, readers more often search than
  access the full-text articles.
  
  

This information is interesting because it shows the users’ behaviour.
It could be useful for the design of user interfaces or to select new e-services
mentioned in the catalogue but not subscribed — usage of tables of contents
and abstracts of unsubscribed titles is used by some libraries for justifying
new purchases [4]. However, this approach is limited; it shows how an e-journal is used but
it does not answer the question of what is used within the journal and when.