Dublin’s most popular library book revealed

Dublin City Council has revealed a list of the most popular library books borrowed during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Man Who Didn’t Call by Rosie Walsh tops the list for e-Books, while Bill Bryson’s Short History of Nearly Everything heads up the e-Audio category.

Dublin City Library doors are closed at the minute like so many other cultural institutions, but the huge range of virtual library services are available to users 24/7. People throughout Ireland have been embracing these free on-line services, which are managed and supported by Dublin City Council on behalf of all the local authorities.  

From 8^th June DCC Libraries will offer a ‘Book Collection’ service from six branches (Cabra, Coolock, Raheny, Walkinstown, Dolphin’s Barn, Rathmines).  This is a pilot project and we would hope to roll out a similar service across the city over the coming weeks.

The growth in users of our e-resources during lockdown has been tremendous. There has been a 191% increase in the use of e-Books, while the figure for e-Audiobooks is 150%. Freegal, our downloads and streaming service, has seen a 78% rise in use.

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“Libraries are not bound by buildings. We are still the go-to-place, at the heart of the community:  only now we are at the heart of the digital community”, commented Mairéad Owens, Dublin City Librarian. “We know this is not an easy time for our country but as a public library service we are proud to support our communities by making peoples stay-at-home a little easier, more entertaining, educational or simply as an escape from their day-to-day lives. We are also learning, as the public tell us what sort of services they expect. The public will define the library of tomorrow”.

Nationally, 178,397 e-Audio and 185,622 e-Books (March 1^st to May 27^th) have been borrowed by library users through BorrowBox, the popular e-Books and e-Audio books service.  In response to huge public demand, Dublin City Council has allocated increased expenditure to the e-Books service.

Dublin’s most popular titles on BorrowBox – from 16^th March to 27^th May

Adult e-Audio

1. Bill Bryson, Short History of Nearly Everything
2. Michelle Obama, Becoming
3. Rosie Walsh, Man Who Didn’t Call  

Adult e-Book

1. Rosie Walsh, Man who Didn’t Call
2. David Baldacci, Last Mile
3. Christine Dwyer Hickey, Tatty

Young Adult e-Audio

1. Holly Goldberg Sloan, Counting by 7s
2. Patrick Ness, Knife of Never Letting Go
3. Philip Pullman, Butterfly Tattoo

 Young Adult e-Book

1. Holly Black, Cruel Prince
2. Jennifer Donnelly, Stepsister
3. Juno Dawson, Margot & Me

Junior e-Audio

1. JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
2. Andy Griffiths, 13-Storey Treehouse
3. Tony Ross, Little Princess Treasury

Junior e-Book

1. JK Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
2. Andy Griffiths, 13-Storey Treehouse
3. Andy Shepherd, Boy who Grew Dragons

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