King County Library System leads U.S. libraries with digital checkouts for the fifth year in a row

King County Library System leads U.S. libraries with digital checkouts for the fifth year in a row. 

KCLS holds on to its first-place title with a record-breaking number of eBook and audiobook checkouts in 2018

Rakuten OverDrive, a digital reading platform used by KCLS, named King County Library System as the U.S. leader— number 3 worldwide— of its eBook and audiobook downloads.

KCLS had 4,864,178 million checkouts in 2018, a 23% increase over 2017. These circulation statistics illustrate the continued growth and importance of library digital lending.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized as the nation’s top digital-circulating library system for the fifth straight year, and grateful to all King County’s enthusiastic readers, who, every day, demonstrate the value and meaning of libraries in their lives,” said KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum. 

“The greater Seattle area consistently ranks among the most well-read in America, reflecting an educated and tech-savvy population that keeps turning to eBooks and other digital resources our collection has to offer.”

The top 5 titles borrowed through King County Library System's digital collection in 2018 include:

1. Origin by Dan Brown
2. The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
3. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
4. The Midnight Line by Lee Child
5. Wonder by R. J. Palacio

A valid KCLS library card or eCard gives patrons access to KCLS’ online collection, which includes streaming music and films, eBooks, online magazines, research databases, exam-preparation tools, online classes, and much more.

Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. Serving the communities of King County (outside the City of Seattle), KCLS currently has 49 libraries and more than 700,000 card holders. In 2011, KCLS was named Library of the Year by Gale/Library Journal. In 2018, residents checked out more than 4.8 million digital eBooks and audiobooks through Rakuten OverDrive, making KCLS the #1 digital circulating library in the U.S. and #3 in the world.