For this month's Digital Media Spotlight, we turn our attention towards ebooks and the news that in 2019, the Free Library reached the 1 million+ ebook checkout mark! And it would seem public libraries, in general, were having a record high ebook checkout moment in 2019 as well.
Here are some more interesting stats from OverDrive:
- Total digital checkouts from libraries and schools: 326 million (+20% over 2018)
- ebooks borrowed: 211 million (+15%)
- ebook and audiobook holds/wait listed: 129 million (+21%)
- Children/YA genre checkouts: 59 million (+27%)
- New public library (digital) users: 5 million (+12%)
Now that we're a few weeks into the new year, it's no surprise our to-read list is overflowing with holds for new and forthcoming books in 2020. Here's just a sample of ebooks we're looking forward to reading:
A transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again.
Explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone "family," the complicated reality of being a grown-up, and the consequences of doing the right thing for the wrong reason.
An Oprah Book Club pick, this critically acclaimed and controversial book is a rare exploration into the inner hearts of people willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of hope.
Unsparing and incisive, this book is a cautionary tale of tech industry idealism gone wrong and a revelatory interrogation of a world reckoning with consequences its unwitting designers are only beginning to understand.
A gripping psychological thriller where not everything is as it seems until the didn't-see-it-coming ending.
A local Miami cop-turned-FBI agent faces off against an international crime ring in typical James Patterson paperback thriller fashion.
Book 2 in the The Hazel Wood Series, Alice Proserpine dives back into a menacing, mesmerizing world of dark fairy tales and hidden doors.
The highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller, One of Us Is Lying. A year after the Bayview four were cleared of Simon Kelleher's death, a new mystery has appeared... with deadly consequences.
Book 5 in the ongoing Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, Jacob Portman's story continues as he takes a brave leap forward with only a few bewildering clues to follow.
Washington Post national investigative reporter Carol Leonnig and White House bureau chief Philip Rucker, provide the definitive insider narrative of Donald Trump's presidency with shocking new reporting and insight into its implications.
If you haven't tried OverDrive's newest app, Libby, we highly recommend giving it a try. The award-winning one-tap reading app was named one of Popular Mechanics' 20 Best Apps of the 2010s and one of PCMag's Best Free Software of 2019.
Visit our Digital Media Portal today for more ebooks, as well as audiobooks, streaming music, movies, and more!
A library card number and PIN are always required to check out ebooks and other digital media, unless otherwise noted. Don't have a library card? What are you waiting for?! Get a library card today!
What ebooks are you looking forward to reading in 2020? Let us know in the comments!
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