What value does ScholarlyStats add to the raw data it collects?
Much of the processing ScholarlyStats carries out during each monthly cycle is to standardize the formats of the report. They collect reports in many different file formats from .csv to .xls to .txt to .html. Then, within these files, even COUNTER-compliant reports vary: some have additional rows at the top of the reports, some have additional columns, a number have quotes or apostrophes with ISSNs, various title formats, inconsistent separators applied to usage stats and missing publisher names in aggregator reports. These idiosyncrasies often vary month-to-month from a single publisher or vendor.
