Transaction Log Analysis of an Institutional Repository (IR): Unveiling Utilization and User Behavior Patterns

Ana Maria  B. Fresnido,; Avelino  E. Dancalan,; Annabelle  F. Aliwalas,

Transaction Log Analysis of an Institutional Repository (IR): Unveiling Utilization and User Behavior Patterns

Ana Maria B. Fresnido | Avelino E. Dancalan | Annabelle F. Aliwalas

Abstract:

Purpose/objectives. As the value of digital collections is usually measured using metrics, this study examined the transaction logs of the IR of a big university in Manila using three categories (utilization, global visibility, and user behavior) as a framework to determine the effectiveness of the repository. Significance of the study. The results of the study can provide valuable insights which can serve as the basis for recalibrating plans for digitization, storage decisions, and marketing. Design, methodology, approach. This descriptive quantitative study employed transaction log analysis (TLA) to help determine the extent of utilization of the IR being evaluated. Data were generated from the Digital Commons (the IR platform) dashboard. Google Analytics was used to gain insights into the behavior of users. Data examined covered two-year (from October 2020 to September 2022) search logs for the 33,707 metadata, where 4,964 or 14.73% have full texts. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and interpret the transaction logs generated from Digital Commons and Google Analytics. Findings. Findings showed that views and downloads are high; and that the extent of the IR’s global and research visibility is widespread, having reached all six continents. Although most visitors were from Asia, particularly the Philippines, India, Indonesia, China, and Malaysia, a seeming interest from visitors in North America and Europe was observed. The high visits without site search, the short session duration, and the high bounce rate indicate low user engagement pointing to problems that need to be addressed regarding the IR content or issues regarding the platform itself (e.g., search facility). Originality of the paper. The study is a humble contribution to the limited literature on using transaction log analysis in evaluating an IR