1. ReCAP Data Part 2: Requests
Zack Lane
ReCAP Coordinator
July 2013
ReCAP
Columbia University

2. Findings: Requests
Requests grew significantly since the opening of ReCAP until FY09
Since FY09 growth has slowed
Impact of mass digitization is unknown
Monthly requests are in phase with the academic calendar
Net decline from busy to slow periods is approximately 33%
Circulation activity shows that collections are increasingly renewed
Average user requests follow 80/20 rule
ReCAP
Columbia University

3. Request Data
The terms request and retrieval are used interchangeably in most ReCAP documentation
ReCAP tracks retrievals; CUL tracks requests
There is not a one-to-one correspondence
Majority of data corresponds
Since granular data is available only for requests, ReCAP Coordinator uses it for analysis
ReCAP
Columbia University

4. Granularity Format Publishing Date Language Country of publication
Barcode
Delivery Location
Default Delivery Location
Date
Time
Type
Patron Group
Bib ID
UNI
Hashed UNI
Format
Publishing Date
Language
Country of publication
Title
Holdings ID
Call Number
Enum/Chron
Item ID
CLIO Location
Fiscal Year
ReCAP
Columbia University

5. Request Data 516,165 requests since ReCAP opened
FY10 : 71,119
FY11 : 71,582
FY12 : 72,786
FY13 : 73,975
Includes both patron and staff requests
Excludes many staff requests
Represents only CUL activity at the ReCAP facility
Patron access to offsite collections is excellent: dynamic with few failures
ReCAP
Columbia University

6. Total Volume by Fiscal Year
Every year CUL accessions more collections at ReCAP
With more collections at ReCAP, patrons have requested more items
Data does not include some staff requests and the Google Book Project
Volume did not significantly increase between FY09 and FY10
This may be attributable to increased renewal of offsite collections
ReCAP
Columbia University

7. ReCAP
Columbia University

8. Circulation Activity of Offsite Collections
Chart compares total volume of charges to renewals for ReCAP collections
Graduate students and Faculty request more offsite collections than Undergraduates
Graduate students and especially Faculty have higher renewal/charge ratios
Over time, these two patron groups tend to renew more than charge
CUL may expect to see steady or decreasing request volume as a result
ReCAP
Columbia University

9. ReCAP
Columbia University

10. Total Volume by Month
Request volume is in phase with the academic calendar
Busiest months
Fall: October-November
Spring: February-April
Reduced volume between terms in Winter and Summer
In FY12 the busiest and slowest months were:
February : 7,380
July: 4,681
ReCAP
Columbia University

11. ReCAP
Columbia University

12. ReCAP
Columbia University

13. Patron Statistics 32,965 patrons have placed at least one request
Most frequent requesters are staff, requesting for both patron and internal purpose
9.8 requests per user (excluding top staff)
Dividing users into between 10+ and <10
10+ account for 17.3% of population and 78.3% of all requests
<10 account for 82.7% of population and 21.7% of all requests
ReCAP
Columbia University

14. More Data Available
More information and data can be found on the ReCAP Data Center
Website includes more information about system-wide data and special projects
Tailored data sets and analysis will be provided to staff via the ReCAP Coordinator
Please see the main ReCAP website for general information about CUL procedures and systems
ReCAP
Columbia University