BPL 10 Most-Borrowed Books in 2022 (Boston: rentals, loan, buying)

[bostongymjunkie]

https://www.boston.com/culture/books...=hp_featurebox


BPL 10 Most Borrowed Books in 2022:

1. “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig (2020) — Borrowed 6,389 times
2. “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave (2021) — Borrowed 4,948 times
3. “Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2021) — Borrowed 4,667 times
4. “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman (2020) — Borrowed 4,233 times
5. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah (2021) — Borrowed 4,044 times
6. “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry (2021) — Borrowed 3,909 times
7. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett (2020) — Borrowed 3,561 times
8. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) —Borrowed 3,528 times
9. “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab (2020) — Borrowed 3,329 times
10. “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottleib (2019) — Borrowed 2,917 times

I realize that people who borrow books at the library are not necessarily a representative sample of the population, but this is really what residents of this city are reading? All fiction. Many, not highly rated. Romance and Sci-Fi? I'm not impressed.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

https://www.boston.com/culture/books...=hp_featurebox


BPL 10 Most Borrowed Books in 2022:

1. “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig (2020) — Borrowed 6,389 times
2. “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave (2021) — Borrowed 4,948 times
3. “Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2021) — Borrowed 4,667 times
4. “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman (2020) — Borrowed 4,233 times
5. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah (2021) — Borrowed 4,044 times
6. “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry (2021) — Borrowed 3,909 times
7. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett (2020) — Borrowed 3,561 times
8. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) —Borrowed 3,528 times
9. “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab (2020) — Borrowed 3,329 times
10. “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottleib (2019) — Borrowed 2,917 times

I realize that people who borrow books at the library are not necessarily a representative sample of the population, but this is really what residents of this city are reading? All fiction. Many, not highly rated. Romance and Sci-Fi? I'm not impressed.

Flawed data point.........think of how many libraries are in the Boston Metro area particularly college/university libraries. I'd bet those don't have any of these titles as their top 10's, totally different demographics. Part 2- for that data point you need to reflect the users of that library, it sounds like a lot of retirees reading free books. Also on the #1 book it was taken out 17.5X a day (x 365 days a year)........do they really have that many copies of a fiction book?

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Flawed data point.........think of how many libraries are in the Boston Metro area particularly college/university libraries. I'd bet those don't have any of these titles as their top 10's, totally different demographics. Part 2- for that data point you need to reflect the users of that library, it sounds like a lot of retirees reading free books. Also on the #1 book it was taken out 17.5X a day (x 365 days a year)........do they really have that many copies of a fiction book?

Yeah, nobody was passing it off as hard real data, and I reflected that in my post. BPL also has 25 branches so it's not all Copley. It is interesting nonetheless. And I don't think the mere fact someone is a retiree necessarily implies most or all retirees in Boston read junk like this, or that retirees account for those borrowed books. College libraries are generally used by students and faculty many of whom are not Boston residents. This is the city's public library. One of the most prestigious public libraries in the country.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Flawed data point.........think of how many libraries are in the Boston Metro area particularly college/university libraries. I'd bet those don't have any of these titles as their top 10's, totally different demographics. Part 2- for that data point you need to reflect the users of that library, it sounds like a lot of retirees reading free books. Also on the #1 book it was taken out 17.5X a day (x 365 days a year)........do they really have that many copies of a fiction book?

yeah.... there are a lot of dry, niche academic works that grad students check out 1-2 times a year. No title at any of these libraries is checked out 1000 times, I promise you this.

This is not flawed data at all. It accurately reflects what most people read, in Boston and nationwide. I am in this general industry, it is absoutely predictable.

[bostongymjunkie]

Some of these books are also most likely being loaned through other libraries in the network.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

yeah.... there are a lot of dry, niche academic works that grad students check out 1-2 times a year. No title at any of these libraries is checked out 1000 times, I promise you this.

This is not flawed data at all. It accurately reflects what most people read, in Boston and nationwide. I am in this general industry, it is absoutely predictable.

I mostly read non-fiction, the proponderance of it natural history and anthropology, but its not shocking or upsetting in any way that people seek out enjoyable light fiction to read for pleasure. A memoir of a biologist isn't a page turner to most people. And for those where it is, its going to be a slower read than popular fiction. A lot of these books are read in 1-2 days at most, which contributes to a higher turnover.

At least they're reading something. That's an achievement in itself these days.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by timberline742

I mostly read non-fiction, the proponderance of it natural history and anthropology, but its not shocking or upsetting in any way that people seek out enjoyable light fiction to read for pleasure. A memoir of a biologist isn't a page turner to most people. And for those where it is, its going to be a slower read than popular fiction. A lot of these books are read in 1-2 days at most, which contributes to a higher turnover.

At least they're reading something. That's an achievement in itself these days.

Oh I mostly read straight trash in my leisure time, so I have zero issue with this list. A disproportionate amount of my time at work (and often after hours) is spent reading jargon-filled, niche, and verbose medical research, reports, studies, etc. And as a city-planning/transit nerd at a hobby level, I spend a lot of leisure time in mornings and evenings doing deep dives into all sorts of that content (publications, reports, blogs, budgets, studies, etc.). So when I get into bed and pick up my book, it has to be light and easy reading (currently muddling through the Wheel of Time books, but I like predictable thrillers like James Rollins, Dan Brown, etc.). Nothing wrong with beach books and like you said, at least people are reading something.

One other thought - a lot of people don't necessarily want to spend $10 on trashy paperback or eBooks they're going to read once over the course of 2 days and never touch again. So it makes sense to borrow those. On the other hand, the more substantial reads and stuff worthy of multiple read throughs can be worth a purchase. I lean on free/cheap eBook rentals for my trash reading (mainly from BPL), but I have slowly built a collection of decent, purchased books that I'm not embarrassed to stick on the shelf.

[timberline742]

Yeah, beach books, or vacation books. The books I buy are generally going to be ones that see their way to my library. The books I take out, aren't. Some Robert Parker or Grisham book I'm generally not buying (except if needed at a airport bookshop or used store when traveling) as its good for a flight, or while stuck inside during downpours.

[id77]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

https://www.boston.com/culture/books...=hp_featurebox


BPL 10 Most Borrowed Books in 2022:

1. “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig (2020) — Borrowed 6,389 times
2. “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave (2021) — Borrowed 4,948 times
3. “Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2021) — Borrowed 4,667 times
4. “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman (2020) — Borrowed 4,233 times
5. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah (2021) — Borrowed 4,044 times
6. “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry (2021) — Borrowed 3,909 times
7. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett (2020) — Borrowed 3,561 times
8. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) —Borrowed 3,528 times
9. “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab (2020) — Borrowed 3,329 times
10. “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottleib (2019) — Borrowed 2,917 times

I realize that people who borrow books at the library are not necessarily a representative sample of the population, but this is really what residents of this city are reading? All fiction. Many, not highly rated. Romance and Sci-Fi? I'm not impressed.

Makes sense to me. These seem like books people are curious about/interested in reading, but not enough to buy. Checking it out of the library solves both problems.