OverDrive reps reported this week that a record 152 library systems and consortia across seven countries—including 41 states and seven Canadian provinces—surpassed the one million digital lends benchmark in 2023, which includes e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines. The numbers represent a significant jump from the 129 library systems that hit the milestone in 2022.
The 152 public libraries hitting the milestone are based in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Public Library topped the global list, with more than 12 million digital titles circulated; MELSA: Twin Cities Metro eLibrary in Minnesota remains the highest circulating consortium. Houston Public Library in Texas experienced the highest year-over-year circulation growth, up 57%,, while Öffntlicher Bibliotheken in Berlin, Germany, held the strongest growth for a library outside North America—up 46%—for the third consecutive year. In addition, OverDrive said that 23 library systems hit the million lend mark for the first time in 2023.
The news comes a week after OverDrive reported that 2023 was another record-breaking year for digital library circulation, with a 19% increase in library checkouts of digital media over 2022. In all, library users worldwide borrowed some 662 million e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines.
The complete list of million-plus circulation libraries can be found here. The top circulating digital e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines can be found here.
OverDrive's Top 10 Circulating Library Systems 2023
- Los Angeles Public Library
- Toronto Public Library
- King County Library System (WA)
- National Library Board Singapore
- Harris County Public Library (TX)
- New York Public Library
- Multnomah County Library (OR)
- Seattle Public Library
- San Diego County Library
- Mid-Continent Public Library (MO)
OverDrive's Top 5 Circulating Consortia 2023
- MELSA: Twin Cities Metro eLibrary (MN)
- The Ohio Digital Library
- Wisconsin Public Library Consortium
- Tennessee READS
- Indiana Digital Library
First-timers Hitting a million OverDrive Circulations 2023
- Fresno County Public Library (CA)
- Marmot Library Network (CO)
- Library Connection, Inc. (CT)
- Alachua County Library District (FL)
- Fulton County Library System (GA)
- Media On Demand (IL)
- Lexington Public Library (KY)
- SAILS Library Network (MA)
- St. Charles City-County Library District (MO)
- Omaha Public Library (NE)
- Christchurch City Libraries (New Zealand)
- Kent County Council (United Kingdom)
- Monroe County Library System (NY)
- Chester County Library System (PA)
- Arlington Public Library (VA)
- Alameda County Library (CA)
- Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (Canada)
- Virtual Library of Wyoming
- Charleston County Public Library System (SC)
- Vancouver Island Regional Library (Canada)
- Surrey Libraries (Canada)
- Greater Victoria Public Library (Canada)
- Johnson County Library and Olathe Public Library (KS)
