eJournal interface can influence usage statistics: implications for libraries, publishers, and Project COUNTER

The design of a publisher's electronic interface can have a measurable effect on electronic journal usage statistics. A study of journal usage from six COUNTER-compliant publishers at thirty-two research institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden indicates that the ratio of PDF to HTML views is not consistent across publisher interfaces, even after controlling for differences in publisher content. The number of fulltext downloads may be artificially inflated when publishers require users to view HTML versions before accessing PDF versions or when linking mechanisms, such as CrossRef, direct users to the full text, rather than the abstract, of each article. These results suggest that usage reports from COUNTER-compliant publishers are not directly comparable in their current form. One solution may be to modify publisher numbers with adjustment factors deemed to be representative of the benefit or disadvantage due to its interface. Standardization of some interface and linking protocols may obviate these differences and allow for more accurate cross-publisher comparisons.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures. JASIST (in press, 2006

COUNTER code of practice : books and reference works

COUNTER proporciona un conjunto de normas internacionales extensibles que permiten el uso en línea de productos de información y servicios para ser medidos de una forma fiable, consistente y compatible utilizando los datos generados por los proveedores. Este documento es específico para libros y obras de referencia (versión 1), y detalla lo siguiente: la información que ha de ser medida, las definiciones de la misma, los informes de uso, el formato, la frecuencia y los métodos de entrega; y los protocolos para la combinación de informes de uso directo y de uso a través de intermediarios. También proporciona directrices para el tratamiento de datos por parte de proveedores y auditores

Cryptocurrencies and anti-money laundering laws: the need for an integrated approach

This chapter attempts to clarify and describe the legal and regulatory framework for cryptocurrency with special focus on Malaysia and the threats that it poses from the anti-money laundering perspective. Currently, very few countries have legislations that regulate cryptocurrency. Nonetheless, the crazy surge in prices (to more than 20-folds at some point) has sent both legitimate investors and criminals flocking to cryptocurrencies. This chapter analyses and compares the official reports from various governments, writings of government officials, experts and scholars in journals and newspapers, interviews and draws conclusions on the legal framework of cryptocurrency, and money laundering challenges. The study notes that the decision of the US regulators in allowing Bitcoin futures to trade on major exchanges to be one of the reasons behind the sudden surge. The study also finds that the South Korean regulators’ approach in banning its financial institutions from dealing with virtual currency is a positive one. The chapter stresses that it is not adequate for regulators to warn the public to act with extreme caution and increase their understanding on the risks they take on if they choose to invest in cryptocurrencies. Instead, it is necessary to have comprehensive international and national laws and regulations for the control and management of cryptocurrencies. In addition, the anti-money laundering legal framework must be improved to cater to the new threats posed by cryptocurrency