Canberra, 29 October: Australians are borrowing six books a year from their public library on average and are more likely to be borrowing an ebook or audiobook than they were pre-pandemic, according to the latest Public Library Statistical Report, released today.
The national report—produced annually by ALIA and National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA)—tells the story of community reengagement with the physical spaces and collections of public libraries, combined with continued growth in digital engagement and collections.
“You can feel the positive energy when you walk into a public library,” says Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) President, Jane Cowell. “Every day is different as libraries continue to respond to local community needs. It’s coming into peak study season now, so the afternoons will see lots of students coming in to study, the morning might have had a multicultural storytime, followed by a book club, digital support group or one on one Tech Help sessions.”
“People come to libraries to meet varied needs” says Chair of the ALIA Australian Public Library Alliance Nicole Hunt. “You can see this in the numbers. For example in 2022-23, public library programs welcomed 6.1 million participants, public library spaces were booked for 646,583 hours and public computers were booked for 5.34 million hours.”
Other key statistics from the 2022-23 report include:
- Public library collections were used over 159 million times.
- Physical visits increased by 40%, and online visits rose by 27% after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
- Libraries offered over 43 million items (1.7 per person), with $143.5 million invested to keep collections up to date.
- The number of library programs offered nationally grew from 259,000 in 2021-22 to 354,000 in 2022-23, attracting 6.1 million attendees (up from 3.5 million).
- 1,918 rooms and meeting spaces were booked for 646,000 hours, a 25% increase.
“These statistics are important, but we know they don’t capture everything” says Nicole Hunt. “They don’t tell the stories of those who need a safe place out of the weather, or help applying for jobs or starting a new course. These statistics remind us that strong investment in libraries is a strong investment in local communities.”
Deputy Chair of National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA), Catherine Clark, welcomed the report and the opportunity to reflect on the positive impact of libraries across the spectrum of Australian society. In addition to the services and programs that are represented in these statistics, public libraries support the Australian community in many other ways. Against the backdrop of rising costs of living, most library services are free to individuals, whether they are members or not, providing critical social infrastructure and a worthwhile investment for the wellbeing of the entire community.
You can access the full report via Trove.