COUNTER has been developed to provide a set of international, extendible Codes of Practice that allow the usage of online information products and services to be measured in a credible, consistent and compatible way using vendor generated data. This COUNTER Code of Practice for Books and Reference Works specifies: the data elements to be measured; definitions of these data elements; usage report content, format, frequency and methods of delivery; protocols for combining usage reports from direct use and from use via intermediaries. It also provides guidelines for data processing by vendors and auditing protocols. This COUNTER Code of Practice has been developed with input from vendors, librarians and intermediaries....

CONTENTS 1. Foreword 2. General information 3. Definitions of terms used 4. Usage reports 5. Data processing 6. Auditing 7. Compliance 8. References to other standards, protocols and codes of practice 9. Governance of COUNTER 10.Maintenance and development of the COUNTER Code of Practices...