Over 120 library systems reach 1 million digital checkouts in 2021

We had another record-setting year in digital reading, with libraries, schools, colleges and companies circulating half a billion titles through OverDrive in 2021. We also had a record 121 library systems surpass one million digital checkouts in 2021. This includes 22 library systems hitting this milestone for the first time. In total, 506 million ebooks, audiobooks and digital magazines were checked out by readers last year. Libraries continue to provide a vital service to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Readers around the world discovered or rediscovered a love of reading thanks to digital collections, which allowed them to safely seek and enjoy books from home. Digital book clubs like Big Library Read connected readers from across the globe and we look forward to getting more books into the hands of more readers through our digital book clubs so mark your calendar for our 2022 dates! The 2021 Million Checkout Libraries In 2021, we had two library systems surpass eight million checkouts individually. This was a record previously only held by Toronto Public Library, which became the first library ever to hit nine million checkouts in a calendar year. Libraries from 7 countries reached the million checkout mark, including UK and Germany for the first time. In the United States, 37 states are represented on the list. A complete list of library systems in 2021’s Million Checkout Libraries is below. 9 million checkouts Toronto Public Library 8 million checkouts National Library Board Singapore Los Angeles Public Library 7 million checkouts King County Library System MELSA: Twin Cities Metro eLibrary The Ohio Digital Library Wisconsin Public Library Consortium 5 million checkouts New York Public Library Greater Phoenix Digital Library Tennessee READS 4 million checkouts Multnomah County Library (OR) Digital Downloads Collaboration Seattle Public Library Harris County Public Library (TX) Maryland’s Digital Library CLEVNET (OH) 3 million checkouts Calgary Public Library Beehive Library Consortium Mid-Continent Public Library San Diego County Library Auckland Libraries Brooklyn Public Library San Francisco Public Library Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library LA County Library Sno-Isle Libraries Boston Public Library Ontario Library Service Consortium North Carolina Digital Library Sacramento Public Library 2 million checkouts Livebrary.com Cuyahoga County Public Library Minuteman Library Network Digital Library of Illinois Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Midwest Collaborative for Library Services Metropolitan Library System Kentucky Libraries Unbound San Antonio Public Library Fairfax County Public Library St. Louis County Library Pikes Peak Library District Edmonton Public Library Denver Public Library Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Austin Public Library Santa Clara County Library Oregon Digital Library Consortium Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative Salt Lake County Library Services Bridges Broward County Library Washington County Cooperative Library Services Ottawa Public Library Indianapolis Public Library Chicago Public Library Nashville Public Library Wake County Public Libraries CW MARS 1 million checkouts The Free Library of Philadelphia Pierce County Library System Nassau Digital Doorway Montgomery County Public Libraries Orange County Library System Washington Anytime Library British Columbia Libraries South Australia Public Library Services Vancouver Public Library Saskatchewan Library Consortium Charlotte Mecklenburg Library OC Public Libraries District of Columbia Public Library Lee County Library System Contra Costa County Library New Hampshire State Library Pima County Public Library Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Timberland Regional Library Halifax Public Libraries Mississauga Library System Missouri Libraries 2Go Hamilton Public Library Bergen County Cooperative Library System Arapahoe Library District Fort Vancouver Regional Library District Fraser Valley Regional Library Baltimore County Public Library Brisbane City Council Library Services Kent District Library San Jose Public Library Georgia Download Destination Westchester Library System NC Kids Digital Library Western Australia Public Libraries Ocean State Libraries eZone Hawaii State Public Library System MontanaLibrary2Go Northern California Digital Library downloadLibrary OK Virtual Library Download Destination Arkansas Digital Library Consortium Douglas County Libraries Peninsula Library System Winnipeg Public Library NorthNet Library System Louisville Free Public Library Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library System eLibrary NJ Dayton Metro Library Fort Worth Public Library Indiana Digital Download Center Jacksonville Public Library Libraries NI Houston Public Library Camellia Net Digital Catalog Berlin, Verbund Öffentlicher Bibliotheken (VÖBB) Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Okanagan Regional Library eIndiana Digital Consortium The Libraries Consortium