HARRY Potter is weaving
his magic at Irish libraries with ‘The Philosopher’s
Stone’ the most borrowed book around the country
last year.
And youngsters continue to be Ireland’s top library
users with the 20 most borrowed books being all
children’s titles last year.
Details of the most-borrowed books and authors were published
yesterday by the Local Government
Management Agency (LGMA) as part of the Public
Lending Remuneration (PLR) Scheme.
All 20 of the most-borrowed titles in 2018 were
children’s books, with ‘Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling topping the
list.
Meanwhile, 19 of the 20 most borrowed authors in
2018 were also children’s writers, with crime master
James Patterson the only author to buck the trend.
Irish writer, Mike McCormack’s ‘Solar Bones’ was the
most borrowed adult book in 2018.
Four of the top five most borrowed books for adults
in 2018 were by Irish authors Mike McCormack, Graham
Norton, Liz Nugent and Marian Keyes.
Meanwhile, a number of titles in the adult top 20
are from the ‘Healthy Ireland at Your Library’
collection. This material is available in all public
libraries to support the Government Initiative to
improve health and wellbeing.
National Libraries Development Committee chairman
Tom Enright said: “Encouraging children to read for
enjoyment and learning is central to Our Public
Libraries 2022, the national Public Library
Strategy, so I am very encouraged to see so many
children’s books and authors on the list,” he said.
“The Irish public library collection has over 12
million items available to you completely free, and
we are inviting everybody, young and old, to explore
what’s on offer,” he added.
Top 20 Adult Books Borrowed in Irish Libraries
2018
by Rank, Title and Author/Contributor
1. Solar Bones - Mike McCormack
2. Holding - Graham Norton
3. Lying in Wait - Liz Nugent
4. Guinness World Records 2018 - Guinness World
Records
5. The Break - Marian Keyes
6. The Midnight Line: (Jack Reacher 22) - Lee Child
7. Woman in the Window - A J Finn
8. The Long Gaze Back: An Anthology of Irish Women
Writers - Edited by Sinead Gleeson
9. Skin Deep - Liz Nugent
10. The plan - Aoife Hearne
11. Night School: (Jack Reacher 21) - Lee Child
12. The couple next door - Shari Lapena
13. All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
14. Karl Henry's Healthy Living Handbook - Karl
Henry
15. Driver Theory Test - Road Safety Authority
16. The Wrong Side of Goodbye - Michael Connelly
17. Days Without End - Sebastian Barry
18. Mindful Walking: Walk Your Way to Mental and
Physical Well-Being - Hugh O’Donovan
19. The Whistler - John Grisham
20. Smile - Roddy Doyle |