Details of the books and authors borrowed most often from Irish public libraries in 2019 show that our 2019 Dublin One City One Book choice, The Country Girls Trilogy by Edna O’Brien, was the third most popular adult book borrowed. Figures have been published by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), which compiles the information as part of the Public Lending Remuneration (PLR) Scheme.
The impact of Dublin City Libraries initiatives are highlighted – as well as The Country Girls Trilogy, the Citywide Reading for Children book Bumpfizzle The Best on Planet Earth by Patricia Forde also featured in the most borrowed lists. The 2019 Dublin Literary Award Winner Idaho by Emily Ruskovich took tenth place in the adult books list. This award is sponsored by Dublin City Council and administered by Dublin City Libraries.
Irish authors are in high demand with library members; 11 of the 20 most popular adult books are by Irish authors while 5 of the 20 most popular authors for adults are Irish authors.
The top 4 adult books borrowed are by female authors and the lists show books by female authors are very popular with library members. The top 20 lists for most borrowed adult books, eBooks and Audiobooks are dominated by female authors, with 12 female authors included in each.
Eighteen of the twenty most borrowed books were children’s titles with Roderick Hunt proving the most popular author and Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down the most popular book. The two books not aimed at children that made the list were: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and Skin Deep by Irish author Liz Nugent.
When books aimed at adults are separated out, James Patterson retains his popularity with Irish readers and tops the list of the 20 most popular authors, while Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine was the most borrowed adult title in 2019. Michelle Obama’s Becoming topped the charts in both eBooks and eAudiobooks.
To see the full lists https://www.librariesireland.ie/news/most-borrowed-books-of-2019-revealed