State Libraries Break Record For Online Checkouts In 2020

From San Juan Island Library

The San Juan Island Library District helped the Washington Anytime Library surpass 1.7 million digital book checkouts in 2020 — an all-time record.

This milestone affirms that more people are choosing eBooks, eAudiobooks and the convenience of online lending, particularly at a time when numerous libraries had to close due to the pandemic.

The Washington Anytime Library, which comprises 46 smaller and mid-sized libraries around the state including San Juan Island Library, has been providing readers 24/7 access to eBooks and eAudiobooks for a decade, through OverDrive and its award-winning Libby reading app. Reader interest and usage has grown every year.

“eBooks and eAudiobooks offer new entrances into reading for all ages,” says Assistant Director, Rowan Buckton. “In a time where we can so easily feel isolated, Washington Anytime Library helps us remain connected through story and narrative.”

“Digital collections like the Washington Anytime Library have proved to be invaluable during the pandemic,” said Will Stuivenga, Cooperative Projects Manager at the Washington State Library, and manager of the Washington Anytime Library. “The Library Development Program at the Washington State Library is committed to ensuring these services are available at even the smallest libraries across the state so people can have easy access to the books they love to read, no matter where they are.”

The highest-circulating title Washington Anytime Library readers borrowed in 2020 was “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling. “Thrillers” was the top circulating genre in a vast catalog that includes romance, biographies, and children/young adult.

The top five eBook titles borrowed through the Washington Anytime Library’s digital collection in 2020:

1. “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens
2. “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo
3. “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi
4. “Educated” by Tara Westover
5. “Blue Moon” by Lee Child

The top five eAudiobook titles borrowed through the Washington Anytime Library’s digital collection in 2020:

1. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling
2. “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo
3. “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens
4. “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi
5. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama

To access digital books from the Washington Anytime Library’s OverDrive-powered digital collection, readers need only a valid San Juan Island Library card or eCard. Visit https://anytime.overdrive.com/ or download the Libby app to borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks anytime, anywhere. Readers can use any major device, including Apple^(R), Android™, Chromebook™ and Kindle^(R) (U.S. only). Need assistance getting set up? Contact us during Curbside Hours (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat 11 am-2 pm) or via email at [email protected].

For more information, visit the San Juan Island Library at 1010 Guard Street or call 360-378-2798. Our website www.sjlib.org offers streaming movies, downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks, and a wide range of online databases and access to all of our collections. 

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