We’re back with the second part of this mini-series about “super” book consumers.
Last time we explored the lives of super book buyers — Canadian book buyers who buy more than four new books a month.
This time around, we’re bringing you data on super book borrowers. As we discovered in the Canadian Book Consumer Study 2022, 20% of the Canadians we surveyed were book borrowers, having borrowed at least one book from the library in a given month in 2022. Across all Canadian book borrowers in 2022:
34% borrowed one book;
22% borrowed two books; and
11% borrowed three books.
But what do we know about 30% of library users who borrowed four books or more?
What they’re borrowing
Nearly one-third of Canadian book borrowers we surveyed borrowed at least four books a month in 2022.
Of these super book borrowers, 76% borrowed print books, 31% borrowed ebooks, and 36% borrowed audiobooks.
In a given month at the library:
print super borrowers borrowed an average of 7.5 print books;
ebook super borrowers borrowed an average of 6.6 ebooks; and
audiobook super borrowers borrowed an average of 6.8 audiobooks.
Interestingly, super book borrowers are less likely than all Canadian book borrowers to check out other library materials like magazines, DVDs, or CDs with the books they borrowed. While 26% of all Canadian book borrowers borrowed something else from the library, only 17% of all super book borrowers did so. Looking format by format:
17% of print super borrowers borrowed something else;
16% of ebook super borrowers borrowed something else; and
33% of audiobook super borrowers borrowed something else.
For the one-third of audiobook super borrowers who borrowed more than just a book from the library, they were most likely to borrow:
Magazine(s) — 16% of audiobook super borrowers;
DVD(s) — 11% of audiobook super borrowers; or
CD(s) — 7% of audiobook super borrowers.
How they’re borrowing
Similar to super book buyers, super book borrowers were more likely than all book borrowers to visit the library either online or in person in 2022.
Overall, 75% of super book borrowers visited the public library in person one or more times in 2022, compared to 70% of all book borrowers. At the same time, 81% of super book borrowers visited the public library online at least once, compared to 77% of all book borrowers, shown in the graph below.
More than all book borrowers, super book borrowers visited the library:
to pick up holds — 58% of super book borrowers vs. 44% of all book borrowers;
to browse displays and shelves for books to borrow — 45% of super book borrowers vs. 36% of all book borrowers;
to discover a new book, author, and/or illustrator — 27% of super book borrowers vs. 24% of all book borrowers; or
to put books/materials on hold — 21% of super book borrowers vs. 17% of all book borrowers.
Why they’re borrowing
The time super book borrowers were spending browsing at the library translated into more books borrowed. More than all book borrowers, super book borrowers became aware of the books they borrowed by:
browsing genre/subject area — 53% of super book borrowers vs. 42% of all borrowers;
browsing books by author/illustrator — 44% of super book borrowers vs. 30% of all borrowers;
having read other books by the author/illustrator — 41% of super book borrowers vs. 29% of all borrowers;
having searched specifically for this book — 36% of super book borrowers vs. 32% of all borrowers; and
recommendation/review — 22% of super book borrowers vs. 18% of all borrowers.
And in making their decision to borrow a book, super book borrowers were most influenced by reading the book description, at 61% overall — 60% of print super borrowers, 64% of ebook super borrowers, and 73% of audiobook super borrowers.
Slightly more super book borrowers were borrowing books for themselves, instead of someone else — 66% of all super book borrowers compared to 64% of all book borrowers. Format by format, 65% of print super borrowers borrowed mostly for themselves, while 72% of ebook super borrowers and 69% of audiobook super borrowers did so.
These super book borrowers also live in slightly smaller households than all book borrowers — 2.2 people for super book borrowers, compared to 2.4 people for all book borrowers. And live in households with only adults — 73% of super book borrowers, compared to 69% of all book borrowers.
But why did super book borrowers borrow their books, instead of buy them?
Slightly less than all book buyers, super book buyers borrowed books:
to save money — 60% of super book borrowers vs. 78% of all borrowers;
to not spend money on it — 54% of super book borrowers vs. 71% of all borrowers;
to read it, but not own it (or for others to see that I’m reading) — 49% of super book borrowers vs. 57% of all borrowers;
to support my local library — 38% of super book borrowers vs. 42% of all borrowers; and
from a habit to borrow instead of buy — 38% of super book borrowers vs. 40% of all borrowers.
That’s all about super book borrowers!
Want more data about Canadian book consumers? Check out the Canadian Book Consumer Study 2022 or the Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022 for the latest on Canadian book buyers, borrowers, and readers.
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