Earlier this week we explored the bestselling books of 2019 — but what about library borrowers? Using the data we've collected so far, as we ready the BNC LibraryData service for launch, let's check out (pun intended) which physical books at English-language public libraries have been popular with borrowers since the start of the school year.
We identified the most-loaned titles in the Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Juvenile/YA categories based on BNC LibraryData-tracked loans in Canada over a 14-week period from Sept. 8, 2019 to Dec. 8, 2019. Have the most popular books changed since our mid-year check? Let’s find out!
A note on LibraryData data: Some of the entries below are entire series, while others are individual titles. Libraries report their circulation data based on how ISBNs are catalogued in their systems. Because some libraries catalogue multiple books in a series together, the circulation data we receive is catalogued together as well! Looking for more information on how this works? You can learn more about what we call ISBN Clusters here.
10 most-loaned Fiction books
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 🇨🇦
A Better Man by Louise Penny 🇨🇦
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
One Good Deed by David Baldacci
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Guardians by John Grisham
The Inn by James Patterson
Under Currents by Nora Roberts
The 19th Christmas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
10 most-loaned Canadian Fiction books
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 🇨🇦
A Better Man by Louise Penny 🇨🇦
Someone We Know by Shari Lapena 🇨🇦
Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny 🇨🇦
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay 🇨🇦
Akin by Emma Donoghue 🇨🇦
The Innocents by Michael Crummey 🇨🇦
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan 🇨🇦
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 🇨🇦
Many Rivers to Cross by Peter Robinson 🇨🇦
10 most-loaned Non-Fiction books
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Educated by Tara Westover
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell 🇨🇦
Guinness World Records series 🇨🇦
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
Bleach series by Tite Kubo
12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson 🇨🇦
Sapiens by Noah Yuval Harari
Splatoon series by Sankichi Hinodeya
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
10 most-loaned Canadian Non-Fiction books
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell 🇨🇦
Guinness World Records series 🇨🇦
12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson 🇨🇦
By Chance Alone by Max Eisen 🇨🇦
The Vagina Bible by Dr. Jen Gunter 🇨🇦
Homes by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah and Winnie Yeung 🇨🇦
From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle 🇨🇦
The Wake by Linden MacIntyre 🇨🇦
The Woo Woo by Lindsay Wong 🇨🇦
Truth be Told by Beverley McLachlin 🇨🇦
10 most-loaned Juvenile and YA books
Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renée Russell
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
Drama and Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild by Dav Pilkey
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey
Pete The Cat Phonics Box by James Dean and Josh Dean
10 most-loaned Canadian Juvenile and YA books
Duck Duck Dinosaur series by George Kallie, illustrated by Oriol Vidal 🇨🇦
Restart by Gordan Korman 🇨🇦
The Enormous Suitcase by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦
Moving Day! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦
So Much Snow! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦
Bear for Breakfast by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Jay Odjick 🇨🇦
Finding Christmas by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦
Get Me Another One! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Mike Boldt 🇨🇦
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween by Mélanie Watt 🇨🇦
How will 2020 shake out for library books across Canada? You'll have to stay tuned to find out! If you're interested in more information on the intersection of book buying and borrowing, check out our study Borrow, Buy, Read: Library Use and Book Buying in Canada. And if you work at a library that's interested in our LibraryData project, find out how you can start sending us your circulation data!
A deep dive into book prices in Canada from our upcoming Canadian Book Consumer Study 2023.