Kent District Library (KDL) announced that it reached a record-breaking 1.6 million digital book checkouts in 2023. This milestone illustrates the continued growth and importance of library lending of ebooks, audiobooks and other digital content, as well as the library’s success in serving all members of the community. KDL is #49 of all public libraries, up from #54 last year, and is one of 123 public library systems worldwide that surpassed one million digital checkouts last calendar year.
KDL has been providing readers 24/7 access to ebooks and audiobooks for several years through the award-winning Libby, the library reading app created by OverDrive. The large collection serves readers of all ages and interests, and reader usage has grown every year.
KDL also offers thousands of movies and TV shows available through Kanopy, the leading video streaming service for public libraries. Viewers enjoyed 25,000 hours of content ranging from documentaries, children’s TV shows, instructional series and Academy award-winning films, all for free without ads.
"Digital access continues to be the fastest growing segment of public library resources,” said Lance Werner, Executive Director at KDL. “We're thrilled to be able to meet people wherever they are, to provide them with books, movies, audiobooks and more."
The highest-circulating title KDL readers borrowed in 2023 was Verity by Colleen Hoover. The top-circulating genre, romance, represents the most popular in a vast catalog that also includes mystery, fantasy, children/young adult and more.
The top five ebook titles borrowed through Kent District Library’s digital collection in 2023:
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
- It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
The top five audiobook titles borrowed through Kent District Library’s digital collection in 2023:
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
-
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Readers in the KDL service area just need a valid library card to access digital books from KDL’s OverDrive-powered digital collection. Download the Libby app or visit kdl.overdrive.com to get started borrowing ebooks, audiobooks and more anytime, anywhere.
