Looking below the surface: The use of electronic journals by the members of a library consortium

The licensing of packages of electronic journals by consortia of libraries has been traditionally presented as a “win–win” system. This article ascertains whether this assumption is fulfilled among the members of the Spanish consortium CBUC. The study of the electronic journals consulted with regard to subjects and scientific areas shows that some universities make more use of them than others, taking into account their relative potential in terms of full-time equivalent (FTE) faculty members. The methodological model used has proved to be viable for studying patterns of use at more detailed levels than the general institutional level normally covered by COUNTER-compliant reports.