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I look forward to writing this column every year. I love seeing what were the most popular and sought-after titles. It helps me get a glimpse into what the interests are here in Juniata County. I'm always surprised to see an item on the list that I wouldn't have imagined to be as popular as it turned out to be. Conversely, I find it interesting to not see some books or authors on the list.
Below I list the titles, the circulations (checkouts and renewals) and some details about the item.
Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover (22 circulations) - new adult fiction. Last year's most circulated book was also by Colleen Hoover: Regretting You (21 circulations.) I considered Hoover to be the 2022 MVP for popular books. It appears she won that title again in 2023. Seemingly all of her books have catapulted to the best seller lists, thanks to Tik Tok and popular culture.
Black Panther: Wakanda forever (17 circulations) - DVD movie starring Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther. It is the sequel to Black Panther (2018) and the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In the movie the people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T'Challa.
Jungle Cruise (19 circulations) - DVD movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Based on Disneyland's theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles but with a supernatural element.
Invisible by Danielle Steel / Summer at the Cape by RaeAnne Thayne (18 circulations each) - new adult fiction books.
Biscuit and the Little Llamas by Alyssa Capucilli / The Story of Peppa Pig (18 circulations each) - kids easy reader books.
Other fun facts from 2023:
We processed 636 new passport applications in 2023, bringing in over $28,000 in income for the library.
A total of 61,862 items were checked out from the library in 2023, up from 59,875 in 2022.
42,482 print books were checked out in 2023, up from 40,667 in 2022.
We added 2,250 new items to the library's collection in 2023!
There were 11,913 eBooks and eAudiobooks checked out in 2023, up from 10,679 in 2022. With your library card and the Libby app you can choose from 29,932 free digital titles that can be read or listened to on a smartphone, tablet or computer. Find Libby in the app store and get free digital books today.
There were 34,983 visits to the library in 2023, up from 30,895 in 2022.
We offered 77 youth programs in 2023 and had 1,462 people participate.
We issued 460 new library cards in 2023, up from 399 in 2022 and 241 in 2021. There are currently 12,717 Juniata County Library cardholders.
The library was open 1,750 hours in 2023.
Our mobile hotspots were borrowed 378 times in 2023. Mobile hotspots let you have Wi-Fi wherever there is cell phone service. They can be borrowed for two weeks for $20, four weeks for $30 or three months for $75.
The public computers were used 1,555 times in 2023, up from 1,498 in 2022.
Book of the week!
If you are going to read one book, give this one a try...
The Circus Lesson (book #9 in the Hey Jack series) by Sally Rippin
(Kids fiction: friendship, social themes) ~ 48 pages
In a nutshell: Jack's new babysitter is great, but a bit different. Pizza for dinner, juggling lessons and sleeping outside – with no tent. But, will Jack let his worrying get in the way of enjoying The Circus Lesson?
First published in Australia, the "Hey Jack" series contains chapter books for readers ages 6-9. They consist of characters, plots and themes mirroring experiences children may have on their own, such as consequences of playing with scissors, friendship, serving as teacher's helper, fear when forgetting to study for a test, adopting a pet and worrying about fitting in.
Bottom line: Appealing to young boys, the "Hey Jack" series was recommended to us by a local reader (a mother of several boys).
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Vince Giordano has been the librarian and director of the Juniata County Library since 2015.