New figures reveal:
· Over 9million people used digital library services between April 2024 and March 2025, smashing the target of 8.8million, with customer demand continuing to grow.
· Since the new West Sussex Record Office website was launched in June 2024, there have been 376,123 page views up to June 2025. This compares to just 50,889 in 2022/23.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said: “We will continue to support this growing demand for digital services as one of the key priorities for the council is to make the best use of resources.
“Our library service and Record Office also provides another council priority which is to help people and communities fulfil their potential.
“We will continue to develop eLibrary platforms and the production of virtual and online event content.
“For our Record Office, the aim of enhancing what people can do online means we can reach out to new audiences and many more people can explore and enjoy the history and heritage of West Sussex, in addition to people visiting us in person.
“We are continuing to take in and preserve digital archives and digitise our existing collections so that we can add more images to the website and make more archives available online.”
What are just some of the things you can do online?
West Sussex Record Office – visit wsro.org.uk
- Search the online catalogue comprising 624,470 detailed descriptions to help people find relevant documents.
- Search and view 55,500 historic images – more being added all the time.
- Access research guides, like the newly uploaded one on women’s history in the county.
- Book for talks, tours of the Record Office, and events.
- Download schools resource packs to use in the classroom.
- Explore the online shop for a range of local history books
- Take a look at the You Tube videos, read the blogs, follow the Record Office on Facebook and Instagram.
West Sussex Library Service – visit arena.westsussex.gov.uk
- Read thousands of eBooks, eMagazines, eComics and eNewspapers and listen to eAudiobooks free of charge on our eLibrary platforms.
- Search the entire catalogue of items available in all 36 libraries.
- Reserve and renew items, read and write book reviews.
- Follow the library service on social media on Facebook and Instagram, or take a look at its You Tube channel.
- Get free Wi-Fi or use the computers free of charge in our libraries.
- Get free support from our digital volunteers in libraries by appointment on a range of digital enquiries from setting up an email account to help with online shopping, being safe online and guidance on interacting with AI chat bots.
