In July we passed a milestone when our online digital repository saw its 500,000th download.  Sometime late last week someone somewhere located an item, whether by browsing or through a focused search, that interested them and they downloaded it.  I don’t know what they downloaded and we can’t know what use they might make of it.

The map below presents basic usage data in a compelling way.  The dots represent numbers of downloads.  The larger the dot the more downloads in that area.  I find it compelling because it demonstrates the world-wise reach, and therefore the global potential for impact of the materials we host.

Special Collections was involved very early in the development and population of the repository, and we are grateful that through it our materials have found a wide audience.  Yet what we have online is just a fraction of our holdings.  There are many more items in the pipeline.  Some are ready to be scanned, some have been scanned and are in post-processing and quality-control.  And new material comes in all the time which needs to be processed and cataloged.  Some of that material will make its way online in due time.

If you have downloaded (or viewed, or listened to or watched) our materials, thank you.  Please stay tuned to this blog for forthcoming announcements of additions to the repository.

Usage stat map, DigitalCommons.acu.edu, September 2014-July 2020