What have you been reading?!

Our downloadable library has proved a lifeline to many during the pandemic and Edinburgh Libraries has seen usage of its ebook, audiobooks, newspaper and magazine services grow over this period. But, what have you all been reading over the last year and is it any different from anywhere else in the UK?!

eBOOKS
You have borrowed over 205,000 ebooks from our Libby by OverDrive service this year! Surprisingly only three* of the titles on our top ten loans match those of the rest of the UK. Many of our top lenders have a decidedly Scottish theme or author –

1. A Dark Matter by Doug Johnstone – 1,050 loans
2. The Thursday Murder Club* by Richard Osman – 938 loans
3. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro – 689 loans
4. The Hoarder by Jess Kidd – 652 loans
5. In Dark Water by Lynne McEwan– 642 loans
6. What He Knew by Marion Todd– 497 loans
7. Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming – 432 loans
8. The Sentinel* by Lee Child – 411 loans
9. The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson – 407 loans
10. The Coffin Maker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride – 402 loans

NEWSPAPERS
You read over 2.3 million newspaper copies last year through our PressReader service, making newspapers by far our most popular downloadable resource. The Scotsman however is our run-away favourite newspaper read –

1. The Scotsman – 441,021 loans
2. The Guardian – 161, 162 loans
3. Daily Telegraph – 144,243 loans
4. The Herald – 122, 476 loans
5. Scottish Daily Mail – 91,279 loans
6. Daily Mail – 74,421 loans
7. The Independent – 61,467 loans
8. Daily Record – 60,645 loans
9. Daily Express – 44,670 loans
10. The Observer – 25,510 loans

AUDIOBOOKS
Again only four* of the national top issuers make it on to our Libby list with Scottish themes again dominating some of the top spots. Crime and thrillers also feature strongly. This selection comes from Libby, but we offer three audiobook services with a different range of titles on each –

1.  Klara and the Sun* by Kazuo Ishiguro – 518 loans
2.  A Song for the Dark Times* by Ian Rankin – 497 loans
3.  Luckenbooth by Jenni Fagan – 426 loans
4. The Coffinmaker’s Garden* by Stuart MacBride – 383 loans
5. The Cut by Chris Brookmyre – 335 loans
6. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn – 329 loans
7.  Lockdown by Peter May – 321 loans
8.  Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie- 289 loans
9. The World’s Worst Parents by David Walliams – 285 loans
10. Cold Mourning* by Brenda Chapman – 281 loans

MAGAZINES
Our top magazines on Libby are pretty much the same as everywhere else except for the inclusion of The Week and surprisingly The New Yorker! Both our Libby and PressReader magazine services have over 3,000 magazines in them each. Top magazines on PressReader include the TV Times and Auto Express –

1.  HELLO! – 2,831 loans
2.  The Economist – 2,050 loans
3.  New Scientist – 1,557 loans
4.  Good Housekeeping – 1,432 loans
5.  Woman’s Weekly – 1,368 loans
6.  BBC Good Food Magazine – 1,283 loans
7.  The New Yorker – 1,211 loans
8. The Week – 1,052 loans
9.  Radio Times – 987 loans
10. Woman – 832 loans

Find out how to use our downloadable services at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/library2go