Visits, memberships and circulation at the Brantford Public Library surged in 2023 and even surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
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This is due to a record number of new people becoming members of the libraries and from the increased use of recently added collections and services.
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Nearly 6,000 people became members of the Brantford Public Library in 2023. This is the highest number of new members in nearly a decade.
Just over 1,000 of these new members joined as a digital member. This digital membership can be obtained online instantly by anyone living in Brantford, Brant or Six Nations and provides free access to the Library’s entire online collection.
Beyond the 6,000 new members, a further 5,000 people renewed their library membership in 2023. Please call or visit the library if you would like to renew your membership. With thousands of new members, comes a lot of visits to the library – both in person and online. More than 400,00 people visited the main and St. Paul branches and more than half a million digital visitors dropped into the library’s website and online catalog.
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While books and DVDs made up a large portion of the over 406,000 physical items borrowed in 2023, many non-traditional library items were also popular. These items include sewing machines, WiFi devices, embroidery machines and a variety of sporting equipment, including bird watching kits, snowshoes and even a Spike Ball kit.
There was also an increase in the use of the library’s digital collection. More than 300,000 eBooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, music, and movies were enjoyed through Hoopla Digital and the Libby app from OverDrive in 2023.
Overall, digital magazines and newspapers were the most popular digital items downloaded last year through PressReader and the Libby app.
The PressReader, Hoopla Digital, Libby, and Freegal Music apps are free to download for Android and Apple devices. The services can also be used on a home computer.
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The library’s impressive selection of online databases was key to lifelong learning for customers in 2023. Databases were used over 30,000 times last year. Ancestry – the tremendously popular genealogy database – was used the most, with LinkedIn Learning and ProQuest’s historical newspaper database featuring the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail and rounding out the top three.
LinkedIn Learning continues to add new courses for personal and professional development. Excel Essential Training, Project Management Foundations, and Accounting Foundations were the most popular LinkedIn Learning courses with Library customers in 2023. Members can take as many courses as they like 24/7 through LinkedIn Learning. To get started, just create an account for free with your library card and PIN.
At Your Library is a weekly column provided by the staff of the Brantford Public Library. Readers requiring more information can visit www.brantfordlibrary.ca
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