How many people borrow books from US libraries?
- As of 2020, US public libraries have over 170.61 million registered borrowers.
- The number of library borrowers declined by 2.08% compared to 2019, which was the largest drop in the number of library users over the last 15 years.
- This is also the lowest number of registered users in US public libraries since 2009.
- 52.05% of the US population are registered library users as of 2020. While most Americans still have a library membership, the share of the population that borrows books from public libraries is declining.
- The share of Americans who borrow books from public libraries has been declining over the last 11 years.
| Year | Population (million) | Registered borrowers (million) | Change | Share of population that are registered users |
| 2020 | 327.77 | 170.61 | -2.08% | 52.05% |
| 2019 | 326.34 | 174.23 | 0.20% | 53.39% |
| 2018 | 324.55 | 173.89 | 0.79% | 53.58% |
| 2017 | 322.20 | 172.52 | 0.47% | 53.54% |
| 2016 | 320.46 | 171.72 | -0.38% | 53.59% |
| 2015 | 318.18 | 172.37 | 0.23% | 54.17% |
| 2014 | 315.96 | 171.97 | -0.34% | 54.43% |
| 2013 | 313.85 | 172.55 | 1.04% | 54.98% |
| 2012 | 311.74 | 170.77 | -0.37% | 54.78% |
| 2011 | 308.82 | 171.41 | 0.01% | 55.50% |
| 2010 | 307.44 | 171.40 | 0.99% | 55.75% |
| 2009 | 305.04 | 169.72 | 1.70% | 55.64% |
| 2008 | 302.86 | 166.89 | 3.89% | 55.10% |
| 2007 | 300.01 | 160.64 | -0.80% | 53.54% |
| 2006 | 296.76 | 161.93 | 54.57% |
How many books are borrowed from US libraries?
Similar to the book publishing industry, libraries have faced a transitional period over the last several years. With the rise of digital reading options, libraries are changing – while visits and physical book loans are declining, digital collection is increasing.
- In 2020, over 1.64 billion items were borrowed from US public libraries. Library loans declined by 25% compared to 2019, by far the biggest decline since this statistic was recorded.
- Before 2020, US public libraries recorded over 2 billion loans in each of the previous 16 years.
- Library loans peaked in 2010 when over 2.64 billion items were borrowed during the year.
- However, since 2010, library loans have been on a general decline, with slight loan increases on only 2 occasions, in 2018 and 2019.
- Over the last 10 years, over 22.2 billion items were borrowed from US public libraries.
| Year | Number of libraries | Items borrowed (in million units) | Change |
| 2020 | 17,454.00 | 1,640.35 | -24.97% |
| 2019 | 17,468.00 | 2,186.12 | 0.36% |
| 2018 | 17,450.00 | 2,178.18 | 0.66% |
| 2017 | 17,397.00 | 2,163.84 | -2.90% |
| 2016 | 17,405.00 | 2,228.46 | -1.87% |
| 2015 | 17,368.00 | 2,270.93 | -1.87% |
| 2014 | 17,381.00 | 2,314.20 | -2.53% |
| 2013 | 17,351.00 | 2,374.33 | -1.99% |
| 2012 | 17,370.00 | 2,422.54 | -0.88% |
| 2011 | 17,400.00 | 2,444.04 | -0.88% |
| 2010 | 17,453.00 | 2,465.86 | 2.13% |
| 2009 | 17,469.00 | 2,414.35 | 6.01% |
| 2008 | 17,468.00 | 2,277.55 | 5.11% |
| 2007 | 17,412.00 | 2,166.79 | 3.11% |
| 2006 | 17,411.00 | 2,101.53 | 1.87% |
| 2005 | 17,368.00 | 2,062.96 | 2.60% |
| 2004 | 17,393.00 | 2,010.78 | 2.33% |
| 2003 | 17,405.00 | 1,965.00 | 3.54% |
| 2002 | 17,359.00 | 1,897.87 | 6.03% |
| 2001 | 17,300.00 | 1,789.93 | 4.43% |
| 2000 | 17,182.00 | 1,713.97 | 1.21% |
| 1999 | 17,127.00 | 1,693.42 | -0.46% |
| 1998 | 17,113.00 | 1,701.18 | 0.65% |
| 1997 | 17,037.00 | 1,690.20 | 2.90% |
| 1996 | 17,013.00 | 1,642.63 | 2.03% |
| 1995 | 16,972.00 | 1,609.87 | 1.99% |
| 1994 | 16,910.00 | 1,578.46 | -1.05% |
| 1993 | 16,939.00 | 1,595.17 | 1.96% |
| 1992 | 16,974.00 | 1,564.47 |
- Over 1.21 billion units of physical material were borrowed from US libraries in 2020. These items consist of print books and other print material, as well as physical audio and video recordings.
- There was a big drop in physical loans from libraries in 2020 – over 600 million items less compared to 2019 and more than 1 billion less compared to 2013.
- In addition, over 427.8 million electronic items were borrowed from public libraries in 2020.
- In 2013, over 95.8% of all library loans were physical items, while digital accounted for 4.2%.
- Since then, physical loans have been on a constant decline, while digital has been on a continuous rise. As of 2020, 73.9% of all library loans are physical, and 26.1% are now digital.
- The average library member borrowed around 9.61 items from the library in 2020, a drop from 12.55 borrowed items in 2019.
- Library members borrow fewer books from the libraries as the years go by – dropping from 14.39 items per user in 2010.
- Looking at per-capita numbers, the average US citizen borrows around 5 items from public libraries as of 2020, a drop from 6.7 items in 2019.
- The average US public library borrows over 93.98 thousand items as of 2020, the first year since 2000 with less than 100,000 loans per library in the US.
Aside from the items registered as part of the library’s collection, many digital things are available to visitors that are not part of the official collection but are helpful to library members. Adding these items to the list of borrowed ones, we can define public libraries’ collection use.
- As of 2020, over 2.52 billion uses of public libraries’ collections have been recorded in the US over the year.
- This was a 14% decrease over 2019, when over 2.93 billion items were used from library collections.
- On average, over 14.7 items from library collections were used in 2020, a drop from 16.95 in 2019.
Public libraries’ collection size
As the number of published books increases yearly, library collections are also growing over time. But is the rate of libraries’ collection size followed by the proportional increase in library loans?
- Over 2.03 billion items are registered in US public libraries as of 2020, 14% more compared to 2019.
- 2020 is the first year with more than 2 billion items available in US public libraries.
- Over the last 29 years, libraries’ collection size has constantly been growing, with drops only in 2019 and 2006.
- The average US public library has over 116,300 items in its collection as of 2020. This is 15,000 more items compared to 2019.
- This means that the average item available from the US public libraries collection is used 1.23 times during a year.
| Year | Total collection size | Change | Collection size per library |
| 2020 | 2,035.66 | 14.66% | 116,630 |
| 2019 | 1,775.43 | -5.73% | 101,639 |
| 2018 | 1,883.43 | 20.25% | 107,933 |
| 2017 | 1,566.29 | 7.33% | 90,032 |
| 2016 | 1,459.32 | 10.96% | 83,845 |
| 2015 | 1,315.17 | 13.30% | 75,724 |
| 2014 | 1,160.79 | 9.37% | 66,785 |
| 2013 | 1,061.39 | 5.30% | 61,171 |
| 2012 | 1,007.97 | 5.79% | 58,030 |
| 2011 | 952.82 | 1.46% | 54,760 |
| 2010 | 939.14 | 0.46% | 53,809 |
| 2009 | 934.82 | 0.72% | 53,513 |
| 2008 | 928.16 | 1.12% | 53,135 |
| 2007 | 917.88 | 1.41% | 52,715 |
| 2006 | 905.09 | -0.07% | 51,984 |
| 2005 | 905.74 | 2.08% | 52,150 |
| 2004 | 887.28 | 1.25% | 51,014 |
| 2003 | 876.30 | 3.15% | 50,347 |
| 2002 | 849.54 | 2.79% | 48,940 |
| 2001 | 826.48 | 1.47% | 47,774 |
| 2000 | 814.53 | 2.29% | 47,406 |
| 1999 | 796.31 | 1.50% | 46,494 |
| 1998 | 784.56 | 2.54% | 45,846 |
| 1997 | 765.10 | 2.11% | 44,908 |
| 1996 | 749.27 | 2.49% | 44,041 |
| 1995 | 731.05 | 2.80% | 43,074 |
| 1994 | 711.14 | 2.81% | 42,054 |
| 1993 | 691.70 | 2.29% | 40,835 |
| 1992 | 676.21 | 39,838 |
- As of 2020, print items (books, magazines) account for only 33% of the public libraries’ total collection size.
- 2016 was the last year in which printed material comprised most of the libraries’ collections.
- Back in 1992, printed material accounted for over 95% of the total collection size.
- Ebook material now accounts for the majority of public libraries’ collections, with 39.54%.
Library loans per state
- As of 2020, the state of California has 23.43 million registered borrowers in public libraries, the most among all US states. California accounts for over 13.74% of all library members in the US.
- Texas has over 14.56 million library members as of 2020, the second-most in the country.
- Florida (11.45 million) and New York (10.32 million) close the group of states with over 10 million library borrowers.
- 9 US states account for over 50% of all library borrowers in the country.
- With over 175.89 million loans, California’s public libraries record the most items borrowed in the United States as of 2020.
- Looking relative to the number of registered users, Illinois’ library members borrow over 20.3 items from their libraries on average.