Connecticut Residents Accelerated Their Return to Libraries in 2023, Data Shows

Across public libraries in Connecticut, 2023 was a banner year, with COVID increasingly in the rear-view mirror.   Newly released reports include metrics that reveal increased use of libraries for a range of purposes.   Library visits, circulation, and program attendance have all increased, with library visits having doubled since FY2021. Libraries across Connecticut were visited by over 12.2 million people in FY2023.

Alongside these upward trends, there are a number of noteworthy highlights included in two reports, “CT’s Public Libraries: A Statistical Profile, 2022-2023” and “Statistical Trends in CT Public Libraries, 2023 [PDF]”:

•              Audio downloads have jumped by 17% since last year and 80% since FY2018, showing the popularity of apps like Libby, Hoopla, and Palace Project. There has also been nearly a 50% jump in borrowing of physical audio.

•              The number of non-library community meetings held in libraries rose to 51,363 in FY2023, an increase of over 100% from FY2022, demonstrating that libraries are meeting communities’ needs for space.

•              Introduced during the pandemic, online library card registration appears here to stay with over 75% of libraries participating. With this upgrade of ease and access, libraries have the power to increase the number of registered borrowers across the state.

“Libraries are institutions that specialize in stories, and we know data is often the best way to tell the story of libraries’ impact on their communities,” said Deborah Schander, Connecticut State Librarian. “These reports present accurate, current information that public libraries and others can use to convey and understand the critical role libraries continue to play in the lives of residents across the state.”

Another trend worth noting relates to fines for overdue library materials.  The number of libraries that report they charge no fines for books or DVDs has grown by 27% percent over the last year, now including more than two thirds of the public libraries in Connecticut. Related, the number of libraries that automatically renew materials, preventing the accrual of overdue fines, increased 60% from 58 in FY2020 to 107 this year.

The data analysis also revealed that 70% of public libraries saw an increase in their municipal appropriation, an increase of 3% from FY2022.

Following the end of each fiscal year, the CT State Library collects data from public libraries through the State Annual Report which includes a combination of national questions provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and state questions created specifically for Connecticut’s public libraries.

The statistics compiled in this year’s Profile are based on the FY2023 Annual Reports submitted by CT public libraries in the fall of 2023. The Statistical Trends publication identifies and explains trends in the use and management of CT public libraries over the past 10 or more years through the current fiscal year.

In addition to the two reports, the CT State Library provides accompanying resources for use by libraries, researchers, and others including the Chart & Report Creator; Fact Flyers including a statewide flyer and a template for individual libraries to customize; and tools for Data Visualization.

As in recent years, the CT State Library Division of Library Development will also be releasing a four week long social media campaign on both Facebook and Instagram, #CTLibrariesTrends, beginning Monday, March 18 to culminate during the American Library Association’s National Library Week, April 7-13, 2024.