2011 Top Ten Borrowed Books

 

Whether they borrowed a print copy or the eBook, VPL borrowers were crazy about the Stieg Larrson trilogy, The Help and John Grisham’s The Confession in 2011.

From action-packed survival novels and riveting biographies to heartfelt family fiction and side-splitting kids’ books, Library users borrowed almost ten million books, DVDs, music CDs, eBooks and more from the Library last year.

Print and audio books remain the most popular among borrowers, but the interest in eBooks and digital media is growing at a remarkable rate. People using digital devices like eReaders and tablets like the iPad have found the Library’s expanding online collection a great place to get eBooks and audio files. In fact, the number of digital downloads from the Library’s website last year increased almost tenfold from 2010.

“This is a very exciting time as digital formats expand,” said Chief Librarian Sandra Singh. “At Vancouver Public Library, we work to meet users’ needs. We are definitely responding to the increasing demand for eBooks while continuing to have a broad range of print, video and audio materials.”

If you’re wondering what to read this year, the Library’s new Readers’ Café offers the latest book buzz, reviews and author news. And Library staff, at your local branch, online or by calling 604-331-3603, can also make great suggestions.

And (drum roll please), the most borrowed books in 2011 were:

Top Ten Adult Fiction

1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larrson
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
3. The Room by Emma Donoghue
4. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
5. The Confession by John Grisham
6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson
7. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
8. The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
9. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
10. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

Top Ten Adult Non-Fiction

1. The Happiness Project or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Craft Rubin
2. Bossypants by Tina Fey
3. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
4. Life by Keith Richards
5. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
6. Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant
7. What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell
8. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
9. At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson
10. The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss

Top Ten eBooks (Adult Fiction & Non-Fiction)

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larrson
4. The Confession by John Grisham
5. Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts
6. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larrson
7. A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett
8. Vision in White by Nora Roberts
9. Mystery: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman
10. The Sentimentalists: A Novel by Johanna Skibsrud

Top Ten Teen Fiction

1. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs
5. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
6. Naruto, Volume 49 – The Gokage Summit Commences by Masashi Kishimoto
7. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
8. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyers
9. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
10. Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga Series) by Stephenie Meyers

Top Ten Children’s Fiction

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
3. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
4. The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung Fu Cavemen from the Future by Dav Pilkey
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal by Jeff Kinney
6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
8. Ivy and Bean What’s the Big Idea by Annie Barrows
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
10. Into the Gauntlet by Margaret Peterson Haddix