eBook photo by Felipe Pelaquim on unsplash.com

Fresno County residents hit the books in 2023, according to a recent digital checkout report from the Fresno County Public Library.

Throughout 2023, the libraries in the system checked out more than 1 million audio and digital books, one of only 152 public libraries worldwide to achieve the mark in a single calendar year.

The library provides 24/7 access to eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, comics and other digital content through its Libby app, created by OverDrive. The library’s collection serves readers of all ages and interest has continued to show an uptick in interest since it was implemented several years ago, according to a news release.

“Fresno County residents have embraced the digital age of reading with unprecedented enthusiasm, checking out over one million digital books in one year for the first time in our library’s history,” said Fresno County Interim Librarian Sally Gomez. “We celebrate this milestone with gratitude for the community’s engagement and look forward to continuing to foster a love for reading in the digital era.”

The library also kept track of its top five borrowed eBook and audiobook titles for 2023:

Top-5 eBooks checked out:

1. 1. “Verity,” by Colleen Hoover
2. 2. “It Ends with Us,” by Colleen Hoover
3. 3. “It Starts With Us,” by Colleen Hoover
4. 4. “Spare,” by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
5. 5. “The Storyteller’s Death,” by Ann Davila Cardinal
6.  

Top-5 audiobooks checked out:

1. 1. “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” by Jennette McCurdy
2. 2. “Spare,” by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
3. 3. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” by J.K. Rowling
4. 4. “It Ends With Us,” by Colleen Hoover
5. 5. “Fourth Wing,” by Rebecca Yarros
6.  

Library cards can be obtained for free from any library location. Children under 13 years of age are required to show a parent or guardian signature and corresponding ID in order to obtain a card; teens aged 13 to 17 can use their student ID and sign the application themselves.

Fresno County has 34 public library locations. Established in 1909, the library has served the Fresno area for more than 100 years. For more information, visit www.fresnolibrary.org or call the library at (559) 6000-READ (7323).