About COUNTER

The use of online information resources is growing rapidly. It is widely agreed by producers and purchasers of information that the use of these resources should be measured in a more consistent way. Librarians want to understand better how the information they buy from a variety of sources is being used; publishers want to know how the information products they disseminate are being accessed. An essential requirement to meet these objectives is an agreed international set of standards and protocols governing the recording and exchange of online usage data. The COUNTER Codes of Practice provide these standards and protocols and are published in full on this website. Currently available are:

Release 3 of the COUNTER Code of Practice for Journals and Databases (published August 2008)

Release 2 of the COUNTER Code of Practice for Journals and Databases (published April 2005)

Release 1 of the COUNTER Code of Practice for Books and Reference Works (published in March 2006)

COUNTER Organizational Structure

In 2003 COUNTER was formally incorporated in England as a not-for-profit company, Counter Online Metrics. It has a Board of Directors, which has invested responsibility for the management and direction of COUNTER in the Executive Committee, chaired by Richard Gedye of Oxford University Press. Peter Shepherd, Project Director, is responsible for the day-to-day management of COUNTER and reports to the Executive Committee.

The International Advisory Board of COUNTER consists of leading experts from the publishing, library and intermediary world. Click here to view the membership of the COUNTER Board of Directors, Executive Committee and International Advisory Board.

Membership information
Become a COUNTER member now

COUNTER is owned by its members. Publishers, intermediaries, libraries, consortia and industry organizations are all eligible for full, voting membership. The following annual membership rates apply for 2009:

• Publisher £560 ($850)
• Intermediary £560 ($850)
• Library £280 ($425)
• Library Consortium £375 ($560)
• Industry Organization £280 ($425)
• Library Affiliate £113 ($170)

The benefits of COUNTER membership include:

• The right to vote at the Annual General Meeting on the direction and management of COUNTER, including the appointment of the Board of Directors
• Regular bulletins on the progress of COUNTER
• Advice on implementation of COUNTER
• For vendors, inclusion on the Register of COUNTER-compliant Vendors at no additional charge (provided the vendor meets compliance requirements).

To apply for COUNTER membership please complete the application form.