By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

The ongoing COVID pandemic hasn’t stopped Kent County residents from reading library books, but it has influenced the way they get them.

The Kent District Library recently announced it reached a record-breaking one million digital book checkouts in 2021. KDL was one of 121 library systems worldwide to reach that milestone.

Randall Goble, director of engagement for KDL, said the increase was definitely related to the pandemic. While digital downloads had been increasing even before the days of COVID, they trended sharply upward when buildings closed in the spring of 2020, then remained high even
after libraries reopened.

“Digital is still really strong,” he said.

Digital access is the fastest growing segment of public library resources, KDL officials said.

Even before the pandemic, circulation of physical materials was not increasing at nearly the same rate as digital materials, according to Goble.

“There has been an increase in the circulation of digital materials because they’re so much more convenient to access,” Goble said. “We’re constantly striving to provide what people can access most easily and have the most value, and digital materials fit the bill.”

Readers in the Rockford area top Kent County in terms of digital downloads, he said.

“They absolutely are higher-than-average users,” he said.

According to figures provided by KDL, the following titles were the top five ebooks borrowed from their digital collection in 2021:

The 1 million figure includes mainly e-book downloads, but some audiobooks are also included, Goble said.

1.  The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 
2.  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 
3.  The Four Winds by Kirstin Hannah 
4.  The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate 
5.  People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

In terms of audiobooks borrowed in 2021, these five topped the list:

1.  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 
2.  Atomic Habits by James Clear 
3.  The Guest List by Lucy Foley 
4.  Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 
5.  The Four Winds by Kirstin Hannah

KDL residents with a valid library card can access digital books from KDL’s OverDrive-powered digital collection by visiting kdl.overdrive.com. KDL library card holders can also obtain books by downloading the Libby Library reading app.

The KDL is in the top 60 public library systems worldwide in total digital circulation, library officials said.