King County Library System patrons checked out nearly 8 million digital titles in 2021

Shoreline Library photo by Steven H. Robinson

ISSAQUAH, WA — King County Library System (KCLS) patrons checked out 7,868,850 digital titles in 2021 through OverDrive, a digital reading platform used by KCLS. OverDrive’s 2021 statistics identify KCLS as the No. 2 digital circulating library in the U.S. and No. 4 in the world. KCLS’ per capita usage remains the highest of any library system in the U.S.

In another record-setting year, OverDrive’s 2021 data shows that readers continue to turn to digital content they can access and enjoy from home during the ongoing pandemic. In total, readers across the globe checked out 506 million eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines through OverDrive.

“It is wonderful to watch our digital readership grow each year,” stated KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum. “We will continue to invest in digital content to meet our patrons’ needs and expand access to information in all forms.”

A KCLS library card or eCard allows patrons to access to the System’s electronic materials, which include streaming films, eBooks, audiobooks, online magazines, research databases, student resources, small business resources and more.

KCLS’ Top Five Digital Titles in 2021:

• “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah
• “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama
• “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End” by Jeff Kinney
• “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
• “Talking to Strangers” by Malcolm Gladwell

To view KCLS’ electronic downloads in real time, check out OverDrive’s digital circulation dashboard.

Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. Serving the communities of King County (outside the city of Seattle), KCLS has 50 libraries and 1.2 million cardholders. In 2011, KCLS was named Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal.