We show several examples of how to use the ADS, and we show how ADS use has increased as a function of time. Currently it is still increasing exponentially, with a doubling time for number of queries of 17 months. Using the ADS logs we make the first detailed model of how scientific journals are read as a function of time since publication. We find four distinct components. We directly compare the readership rate with the citation rate for scientific articles as a function of age.
Citations generally follow reads, but there are some differences.
The main journals of astronomy have differences in the ways they are read and cited. We discuss these from a number of different aspects. The impact of the ADS on astronomy can be calculated after making some simple assumptions. To appear in Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplements .