10 million downloads: record success for UCL Discovery

The ten millionth download was the UCL Press monograph How the World Changed Social Media by Professor Daniel Miller (UCL Anthropology) et al, a book that has been downloaded more than 25,000 times in 146 countries since its publication in February 2016.

This book showcases the results of 9 anthropologists who undertook ethnographic research to examine the usage of social media in 8 countries worldwide.

The prize for ten millionth download was awarded by Dr David Prosser, Executive Director of Research Libraries UK.

Joys of publishing

Accepting the prize on behalf of his team, Professor Miller said, "I am sure our whole team is delighted to be awarded this recognition for the 10 millionth download. I think Open Access is especially important to anthropologists.

"We work globally, often in countries where incomes are quite low and sales of traditional books are very sparse. So one of the joys of publishing through UCL Press has been not just the sheer number of downloads but also the evidence that we see significant numbers of downloads in just those parts of the world where we actually do much of our research and where being able to provide university level materials for free fulfils an important responsibility."

First class research support services

Paul Ayris, Pro Vice-Provost and Director of UCL Library Services said, "UCL Library Services offers first class research support services. As members of a research-intensive university, it is a privilege for us to work in this landscape. Open Access has the potential to change the model of scholarly publishing.

"The invention of moveable type printing in the West in the fifteenth century changed the way ideas were communicated across the continent. It was a revolution and the development of Open Access approaches to research dissemination in the twenty-first century can do the same.

Open Access gives universities a new way of relating to Society as a whole. That Professor Miller's book is the ten millionth download from UCL Discovery is just a fantastic witness to how universities can make themselves matter. UCL Press is delighted to be part of this important social process."

Karen Flood, UCL Library Services