Washington Anytime Library has over 1.7 million checkouts

DAVENPORT – January 12, 2021 – The Washington Anytime Library surpassed 1.7 million digital book checkouts in 2020—an all-time record. This milestone affirms that more people are choosing eBooks, audiobooks and the convenience of online lending, particularly at a time when numerous libraries had to close due to the pandemic.

The Washington Anytime Library, which comprises 46 smaller and mid-sized libraries around the state, has been providing readers 24/7 access to eBooks and audiobooks for a decade, through OverDrive and its award-winning Libby reading app. Reader interest and usage has grown every year.

“Digital collections like the Washington Anytime Library have proved to be invaluable during the pandemic, during which we reached 1 million checkouts before the end of July, almost two months earlier than last year,” said Will Stuivenga, Cooperative Projects Manager at the Washington State Library, and manager of the Washington Anytime Library. “The Library Development Program at the Washington State Library is committed to ensuring these services are available at even the smallest libraries across the state so people can have easy access to the books they love to read, no matter where they are.”

The highest-circulating title Washington Anytime Library readers borrowed in 2020 was “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling. The top-circulating genre, thrillers, was the most popular in a vast catalog that includes romance, biographies and children/young adult.

The top 5 eBook titles borrowed through the Washington Anytime Library’s digital collection in 2020:

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens

“White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo

“How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi

“Educated” by Tara Westover

“Blue Moon” by Lee Child

The top 5 Audiobook titles borrowed through the Washington Anytime Library’s digital collection in 2020:

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling

“White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens

“How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi

“Becoming” by Michelle Obama

To access digital books from the Washington Anytime Library’s OverDrive-powered digital collection, readers need only a valid library card from a member library. Visit https://anytime.overdrive.com/ or download the Libby app to borrow eBooks and audiobooks anytime, anywhere. Readers can use any major device, including Apple(R), Android™, Chromebook™ and Kindle(R) (U.S. only).

The Washington Anytime Library is an online collection of over 50,000 eBooks and audiobooks provided by a consortium of 46 public libraries that serve more than 800,000 patrons. Member libraries include the Davenport Public Library, the East Adams Library District (Ritzville), the Harrington Public Library, the Hesseltine Public Library (Wilbur), the Odessa Public Library, the Reardan Memorial Library, the Sprague Public Library and the Whitman County Rural Library District, among others.

The Washington Anytime Library has been funded in part under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Office of the Secretary of State, Washington State Library division.

OverDrive strives to create “a world enlightened by reading.” Serving a growing network of 65,000 libraries and schools in 84 countries, OverDrive delivers the industry’s largest digital catalog 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. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA and was named a Certified B Corp in 2017. http://www.overdrive.com.