While we hope you’ve had a chance to read our new report on library services that just came out this week, there are some other great links out there that you should be sure to check out.

OverDrive statistics

OverDrive released some of its major usage and collection statistics for the past year. In 2012:

  • 70 million digital titles were checked out.
  • The OverDrive Media Console app was downloaded 16 million times.
  • Mobile visits increased to 47% of all visits.
  • The OverDrive catalog now includes 1 million eBook, audiobook, music and video titles in 65 languages, including 300,000 titles added in 2012.

Public library use in 2010

IMLS published the results of its 2010 Public Library Survey. Among the findings:

  • In 2010, there were 8,951 public libraries in the 50 states and the District of Columbia with 17,078 public library branches and bookmobiles.
  • Public libraries offered 3.75 million programs to the public in FY 2010, with the majority of these programs (61.5%) designed for children.
  • Public libraries circulated 2.46 billion materials in FY 2010, the highest circulation in 10 years.
  • In FY 2010, there were 18.50 million e-books available for circulation.

Read more in the press release and full report.

Other links

Scholastic released its Kids & Family Reading Report, based on a national survey of children ages 6–17 and their parents.

And while it’s not from this week, the findings of Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, 2011-2012 from the American Library Association and the Information Policy & Access Center at the University of Maryland offer some great context around our report’s findings:

  • 62% of libraries report that they are the only source of free public access to computers and the Internet in their communities.
  • 90% of libraries offer formal or informal technology assistance to library users, and 35% offer one-on-one technology training by appointment.
  • 76% of libraries offer access to e-books.
  • 39% of libraries offer e-readers for check-out to patrons.
  • 15% of library websites are optimized for mobile devices, and 7% of libraries have developed smartphone apps for access to library services.