Dublin’s most popular library books revealed

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Dublin City Council has revealed a list of the most popular library books that have been borrowed during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Man Who Didn’t Call by Rosie Walsh tops the list for e-Books, while Bill Bryson’s Short History of Nearly Everything is top of the e-Audio category.

Though library doors are closed at the minute their virtual library services are available to users 24/7.

People throughout Ireland have been embracing these free on-line services, which are managed and supported by Dublin City Council on behalf of all the local authorities.  

From 8th June DCC Libraries will offer a ‘Book Collection’ service from six branches (Cabra, Coolock, Raheny, Walkinstown, Dolphin’s Barn, Rathmines).  This is a pilot project and they would hope to roll out a similar service across the city over the coming weeks.

The growth in users of in e-resources during lockdown has been tremendous. There has been a 191% increase in the use of e-Books, while the figure for e-audiobooks is 150%. Freegal, their downloads and streaming service, has seen a 78% rise in use.

‘Libraries are not bound by buildings. We are still the go-to-place, at the heart of the community:  only now we are at the heart of the digital community’, said Mairéad Owens, Dublin City Librarian.

‘We know this is not an easy time for our country but as a public library service, we are proud to support our communities by making peoples stay-at-home a little easier, more entertaining, educational or simply as an escape from their day-to-day lives. We are also learning, as the public tell us what sort of services they expect. The public will define the library of tomorrow’.

Nationally, 178,397 e-Audio and 185,622 e-Books (March 1st to May 27th) have been borrowed by library users through BorrowBox, the popular e-Books and e-Audio books service. 


Dublin’s most popular titles on BorrowBox from 16th March – 27th May

Adult e-Audio

  1. Bill Bryson, Short History of Nearly Everything
  2. Michelle Obama, Becoming
  3. Rosie Walsh, Man Who Didn’t Call  

Adult e-Book

  1. Rosie Walsh, Man who Didn’t Call
  2. David Baldacci, Last Mile
  3. Christine Dwyer Hickey, Tatty

Young Adult e-Audio

  1. Holly Goldberg Sloan, Counting by 7s
  2. Patrick Ness, Knife of Never Letting Go
  3. Philip Pullman, Butterfly Tattoo

 Young Adult e-Book

  1. Holly Black, Cruel Prince
  2. Jennifer Donnelly, Stepsister
  3. Juno Dawson, Margot & Me

Junior e-Audio

  1. JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
  2. Andy Griffiths, 13-Storey Treehouse
  3. Tony Ross, Little Princess Treasury

Junior e-Book

  1. JK Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
  2. Andy Griffiths, 13-Storey Treehouse
  3. Andy Shepherd, Boy who Grew Dragons

In response to huge public demand, Dublin City Council has allocated increased expenditure to the e-Books service.

If you’re looking for more free audiobooks, here’s a selection of 13 free Irish language ones that you can check out today. Or there are also free Irish podcastsshort filmstheatre productions that you can enjoy online right now too.

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I'm a freelance content creator, author, and journalist who has a strong desire to share useful content about Irish people and things about Ireland at home and abroad. I am constantly curious.

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