Standardized Usage Statistics Harvesting Initiative (SUSHI)
About SUSHI
The Standardized Usage Statistics Harvesting Initiative (SUSHI) Protocol standard (ANSI/NISO Z39.93) defines an automated request and response model for the harvesting of electronic resource usage data utilizing a Web services framework. It is intended to replace the time-consuming user-mediated collection of usage data reports.
The protocol was designed to be both generalized and extensible, meaning it could be used to retrieve a variety of usage reports. An extension designed specifically to work with COUNTER reports is provided with the standard, as these are expected to be the most frequently retrieved usage reports.
The standard is built on SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) for transferring request and response messages. The GetReport method is used for transferring ReportRequest as the input message and returning ReportResponseas the output message.
The standard includes a versioned Web Services Description Language (WSDL), to describe the Web service namespace and operations, and a generalized XML schema with the syntax of the SUSHI protocol. Rules for report naming are outlined and complemented by an external reports registry, which provides for the definition of both COUNTER and non-COUNTER reports.
Reference Material
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Schemas
The SUSHI standard has three supporting XML schemas posted on the NISO website. The base schema (sushi[version].xsd) can be used with any conforming usage statistics reports. If COUNTER reports are desired, the base schema calls up a second schema (sushi_counter[version].xsd). This schema then references the COUNTER reports schema (counter[version].xsd), which creates an XML-formatted version of the requested COUNTER reports. The two SUSHI schemas are basically retrieval envelopes for the XML-formatted COUNTER reports.
The COUNTER XML schema can be used separately from SUSHI by anyone who wants the reports in XML formats.
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Toolkits
Two SUSHI implementers developed toolkits to assist in the implementation of SUSHI in the .NET and the Java environments. These implementers have generously made these toolkits available free of charge to other implementers
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- For .NET environment (provided by EBSCO Information Services) [version 1.5 to be posted shortly]
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- For Java environment (provided by Swets Information Services) [version 1.5 to be posted shortly]
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Reports
Registry
Provides a listing of the standard report names and releases for COUNTER reports that should be used when implementing the schema. Also includes a registry of non-COUNTER reports that have been developed to work with the SUSHI protocol.
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SUSHI
Implementers
NISO is compiling a list of SUSHI protocol implementers and will be posting it to this website. If you have already implemented SUSHI or are planning to do so, please contact Karen Wetzel.
About COUNTER
Launched in March 2002, COUNTER (Counting Online Usage of Networked Electronic Resources) is an international initiative serving librarians, publishers and intermediaries by setting standards that facilitate the recording and reporting of online usage statistics in a consistent, credible and compatible way. The first COUNTER Code of Practice, covering online journals and databases, was published in 2003. COUNTER's coverage was extended further with the launch of the Code of Practice for online books and reference works in 2006. The body of COUNTER compliant usage statistics has steadily grown as more and more vendors have adopted the COUNTER Codes of Practice. This has contributed to the new discipline of usage bibliometrics and a great deal of work is underway to try to establish .value metrics. associated with usage, in which the COUNTER compliant statistics play an increasingly important role. [Source: COUNTER website]
NISO and COUNTER have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that assigns the responsibility for maintaining the XML schema version of COUNTER reports to NISO. This will ensure that the SUSHI and COUNTER schemas are always synchronized.
SUSHI Email List
NISO provides an email list for SUSHI Developers to share experiences and
ask implementation questions. Only list subscribers may post messages, but
the list archives are open to the public for viewing.
To subscribe, send an email to: sushidevelopers-subscribe@list.niso.org
To unsubscribe, send an email to: sushidevelopers-unsubscribe@list.niso.org
View the SUSHI Developers list archives here.