Community Corner
Number of Howard County Library Borrowers Ranks Ninth in Nation
A recent survey examined borrowing statistics and found Howard County libraries to be ninth in the nation for books borrowed per capita.
Howard County loves books, and now we've got proof.
The July/August 2011 issue of American Libraries, the official magazine of the American Library Association, ranked the Howard County Library System (HCLS) ninth among the top 10 library systems in the country with the highest number of books borrowed per person.
The survey examined 9200 public libraries across the country looking at borrowing statistics and visitation numbers. The survey found that on average, each person visiting a Howard County library during fiscal year 2011 borrowed 24.03 items each, for a total of 7 million items borrowed.
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According to the survey, the county's six library branches were visited 2.9 million times, a 7.1 percent increase over the previous year.
In addition to the many items borrowed by the library this year, attendance at HCLS classes and events saw nearly 250,000 participants, a 19.3 percent increase from last year.
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“For this top national ranking, we credit our remarkable HCLS team and the value Howard County residents place in high-quality public education for all ages,” HCLS president and CEO Valerie Gross said in a press release.
“Special thanks to Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, the Howard County Council and our Maryland State Legislators for the operating and capital funding that enables our award winning curriculum,” she added.
In addition to Howard County, Carroll and Harford Counties also made the list at 12th and 13th respectively. To view the official rankings visit the American Libraries website.
