Details of the 20 books and authors borrowed most often from Irish public libraries in 2020 have been published by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), ahead of Ireland Reads Day, a national day of reading on Thursday, February 25th.
The LGMA compiles the information as part of the Public Lending Remuneration (PLR) Scheme. The 20 eBooks and eAudiobooks borrowed most often from Irish Libraries via the Borrowbox service have also been published.
Most borrowed books
Seventeen of the twenty most borrowed books in 2020 are children’s titles with Roderick Hunt the most popular author and the classic Mr Men collection proving the most popular book. Classic stories remain among children’s favourites with renowned authors such as Enid Blyton, Roger Hargreaves and Roald Dahl in the top twenty list of children’s authors, alongside Daisy Meadows, Francesca Simon, and Jacqueline Wilson.
When books aimed at adults are separated out, James Patterson tops the list of the 20 most popular authors for the third time in a row, while Blue Moon by Lee Child was the most borrowed adult title in 2020. It seems we all still love a good mystery with other thriller and crime writers such as Michael Connelly, Liz Nugent, Harlan Coben and Agatha Christie among the most popular authors with library members.
Unsurprisingly, given the phenomenal success of the TV adaptation, Normal People by Sally Rooney was the most downloaded eBook by library members, while Becoming by Michelle Obama was the most popular eAudiobook.
Irish authors are in high demand with library members; 11 of the 20 most popular adult books are by Irish authors while 5 of the 20 most popular authors for adults are Irish authors.
Fifteen of the twenty most popular adult books are by female authors, and female authors are also in the majority in the most popular eBook and eAudiobook lists.
The impact of the Dublin City Libraries ‘One City One Book’ initiative is clear. The 2020 One City One Book choice Tatty by Christine Dwyer Hickey is included in the top 20 most borrowed books for adults, eBooks and eAudiobooks lists.
Full details of the most borrowed authors and books are available below.
Find out more about Ireland Reads Day and take the pledge to read at www.irelandreads.ie.
Top 20 books borrowed in Irish public libraries 2020 | ||
1 | My Mr. Men Complete Collection | Roger Hargreaves |
2 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway | Jeff Kinney |
3 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down | Jeff Kinney |
4 | Under the Hawthorn Tree | Marita Conlon-McKenna |
5 | Blue Moon | Lee Child |
6 | Dog Man: Dog Man and Cat Kid | Dav Pilkey |
7 | Wonder | R J Palacio |
8 | Tom Gates: What Monster | Liz Pichon |
9 | Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal | Jeff Kinney |
10 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | J K Rowling |
11 | Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties | Dav Pilkey |
12 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Jeff Kinney |
13 | The Family Gift | Cathy Kelly |
14 | Fing | David Walliams; illustrated by Quentin Blake |
15 | Tom Gates: Spectacular School Trip (Really) | Liz Pichon |
16 | Bad Dad | David Walliams; illustrated by Tony Ross |
17 | The Night Fire | Michael Connelly |
18 | Mr Stink | David Walliams; Illustrated by Quentin Blake |
19 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days | Jeff Kinney |
20 | Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules | Jeff Kinney |
Adult books – Top 20 books borrowed in Irish public libraries 2020 | ||
1 | Blue Moon | Lee Child |
2 | The Family Gift | Cathy Kelly |
3 | The Night Fire | Michael Connelly |
4 | Becoming | Michelle Obama |
5 | Skin Deep | Liz Nugent |
6 | Once, Twice, Three Times an Aisling | Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen |
7 | Our Little Cruelties | Liz Nugent |
8 | Tatty | Christine Dwyer Hickey |
9 | The Beekeeper of Aleppo | Christy Lefteri |
10 | The Guardians | Jon Grisham |
11 | Overcoming | Vicky Phelan |
12 | The Testaments | Margaret Atwood |
13 | A Keeper | Graham Norton |
14 | Normal People | Sally Rooney |
15 | The Official Driver Theory Test | Department of Transport |
16 | The Birthday Party | Roisin Meaney |
17 | Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling | Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen |
18 | Olive, Again | Elizabeth Strout |
19 | Seven Letters | Sinead Moriarty |
20 | Where the Crawdads Sing | Delia Owens |
Top 20 authors/contributors borrowed in Irish public libraries 2020 | |
1 | Roderick Hunt |
2 | Roger Hargreaves |
3 | Daisy Meadows |
4 | Julia Donaldson |
5 | Michael Morpurgo |
6 | Enid Blyton |
7 | Francesca Simon |
8 | Jacqueline Wilson |
9 | David Walliams |
10 | J K Rowling |
11 | Jeff Kinney |
12 | Adam Blade |
13 | James Patterson |
14 | Dav Pilkey |
15 | Roald Dahl |
16 | Holly Webb |
17 | Eoin Colfer |
18 | Marita Conlon McKenna |
19 | Dr Seuss |
20 | Lincoln Peirce |
Adult – Top 20 authors/contributors borrowed in Irish public libraries 2020 | |
1 | James Patterson |
2 | Lee Child |
3 | John Boyne |
4 | Nora Roberts |
5 | Anthony Horowitz |
6 | Roddy Doyle |
7 | Agatha Christie |
8 | John Grisham |
9 | Michael Connelly |
10 | Danielle Steel |
11 | Maeve Binchy |
12 | Harlan Coben |
13 | Sheila O'Flanagan |
14 | David Baldacci |
15 | Stephen King |
16 | Jeffrey Archer |
17 | Jodi Picoult |
18 | Cathy Kelly |
19 | J D Robb (Nora Roberts pseudonym) |
20 | Jojo Moyes |
Top 20 Adult Audiobooks Borrowed in Irish Public Libraries 2020 via BorrowBox | ||
1 | Becoming | Michelle Obama |
2 | The Beekeeper of Aleppo | Christy Lefteri |
3 | Tattooist of Auschwitz | Heather Morris |
4 | The Man Who Didn’t Call | Rosie Walsh |
5 | The Testaments | Margaret Atwood |
6 | This is Going to Hurt | Adam Kay |
7 | Nightboat to Tangier | Kevin Barry |
8 | Nine Perfect Strangers | Liane Moriarty |
9 | Tatty | Christine Dwyer Hickey |
10 | The Handmaid’s Tale | Margaret Atwood |
11 | The President is Missing | Bill Clinton and James Patterson |
12 | House Across the Street | Lesley Pearse |
13 | Short History of Nearly Everything | Bill Bryson |
14 | Into the Water | Paula Hawkins |
15 | Cilka’s Journey | Heather Morris |
16 | Help Me! | Marianne Power |
17 | Fool Me Once | Harlan Coben |
18 | The Thursday Murder Club | Richard Osman |
19 | House of Names | Colm Tóibin |
20 | Gotta Get Theroux This | Louis Theroux |
Top 20 Adult eBooks borrowed in Irish Public Libraries 2020 via BorrowBox | ||
1 | Normal People | Sally Rooney |
2 | The Man who Didn’t Call | Rosie Walsh |
3 | The Beekeeper of Aleppo | Christy Lefteri |
4 | Becoming | Michelle Obama |
5 | Night Boat to Tangier | Kevin Barry |
6 | Conversations with Friends | Sally Rooney |
7 | Girl, Woman, Other | Bernardine Evaristo |
8 | The Catch | T.M. Logan |
9 | The Christmas Train | David Baldacci |
10 | The Last Mile | David Baldacci |
11 | The Secrets of Primrose Square | Claudia Carroll |
12 | The Tattooist of Auschwitz | Heather Morris |
13 | Guest List | Lucy Foley |
14 | The Man from St Petersburg | Ken Follett |
15 | Cilka’s Journey | Heather Morris |
16 | Girl in the Woods | Patricia MacDonald |
17 | Tatty | Christine Dwyer Hickey |
18 | Unsuitable Match | Joanna Trollope |
19 | Help Me! | Marianne Power |
20 | The Holiday | T.M. Logan |