SYDNEY – 14 December 2021 – In a year when the pandemic brought most of Australia to a standstill, Australian public libraries continued to meet their communities’ needs with record issues of digital titles. This digital trend allows Australians to access ebooks and audiobooks from the comfort and safety of their own home.

The recent lockdowns have seen people spending more time than ever accessing library content on their phone or other devices. While libraries still provided click and collect services for physical books, the rising demand for digital content led to record downloads.

The list of 2021’s most popular ebooks and audiobooks downloaded from public libraries all over Australia has been released by OverDrive, the creator of the award-winning Libby reading app.

Top 10 Ebooks borrowed from Australian public libraries in 2021

  1. Scrublands by Chris Hammer
  2. Treasure and Dirt by Chris Hammer
  3. The Survivors by Jane Harper
  4. Bridgerton Collection, Volume 1 by Julia Quinn
  5. The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams
  6. All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton
  7. The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape
  8. The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith
  9. The Most Eligible Lord in London by Ella Quinn
  10. The Dry by Jane Harper

Top 10 Audiobooks borrowed from Australian public libraries in 2021

  1. Cold Mourning by Brenda Chapman
  2. The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
  3. The Dry by Jane Harper
  4. Force of Nature by Jane Harper
  5. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
  6. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
  7. Butterfly Kills by Brenda Chapman
  8. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
  9. An Offer from A Gentleman by Julia Quinn
  10. The Lost Man by Jane Harper

OverDrive is a global company serving over 73,000 libraries and schools in 88 countries. OverDrive has been serving Australian libraries since 2005, and now serves all of public libraries in the country with a dedicated team in Australia.

“Library staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to adapt their services to meet their communities changing needs, and we’re proud to have played a part in helping them provide so much of what borrowers want,” said Mal O’Brien, Regional Manager for OverDrive. “People discovered their libraries’ digital collections for the first time during lockdown – and we’re seeing that their use of online services is continuing to grow even as library branches have been able to reopen.”

Readers in Australia can borrow ebooks, audiobooks and digital magazines from all over the world from their local library by downloading the Libby app from the App Store or Google Play.

For more information and to get started, visit https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/.

 

 

About OverDrive

OverDrive strives to create “a world enlightened by reading.” Serving a growing network of 73,000 libraries and schools in 88 countries, OverDrive delivers the industry’s largest digital catalogue of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other content through award-winning apps. The Libby reading app for libraries is one of Popular Mechanics’ 20 Best Apps of the Decade, while the student reading app Sora is one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2019. OverDrive recently acquired Kanopy, the leading streaming video service for public libraries and academic institutions. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA and was named a Certified B Corp in 2017. www.overdrive.com

 

Malcolm O’Brien

Regional Manager, Australia & New Zealand

mobrien@overdrive.com

David Burleigh
Director of Brand & Communications
dburleigh@overdrive.com

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