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Library Quarterly Report FY21 Q2: October-December 2020


Database Usage

Use of library subscription databases as measured in full-text downloads hit a record high of 4,309 this quarter, continuing to demonstrate the value employees place on "self-service" access to high quality information at the desktop. As is typically the case, ASTM Compass led all downloads, followed by the clickthroughs from the Library Catalog and then ASCE Library and Skillsoft Books. For unknown reasons, database downloads surged 14% above average last October and 57% above average this October. In both instances downloads returned to slightly above normal levels in November and December. Average monthly downloads for the past five years have been 1,055 items/month, however, this quarter we saw monthly usage of 1,823, 1,307 and 1,179 downloads respectively for October, November and December.



The Library continues to expand access to resources through "self-service" online subscription databases. We provide 16 subscription databases to VDOT employees (14 of those are "full text" resources). Tables here show the number of downloads per month (below) from each database, and the trend over the past year (right), which spiked in October and leveled off at an above-average rate by year's end.

Subscription database usage FY21 Q2: January-Decemer 2020
 
 
 
Subscription Downloads By VDOT: FY21 Q2
  October  November  December  Total 
ASTM Compass  645  455  391  1,491 
Non-subscription Downloads (EOS Catalog  291  271  273  835 
ASCE Library  295  188  92  575 
Skillsoft Books  127  105  139  371 
TRR (and other Sage Journals)  114  135  75  324 
*Other (miscellaneous journals)  62  96  86  244 
Knovel  137  25  65  227 
EBSCO Business Source Corporate Plus  121  20  15  156 
ICE Virtual Library  14  33  51 
EBSCO Business Book Summaries  12  16 
EBSCO eBooks  10 
ScienceDirect 
Monthly Totals  1,823  1,307  1,179  4,309 

Note: Miscellaneous resources includes International Journal of Pavement Engineering, Corrosion and Road Materials and Pavement Design.

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