Hectic start to year after thousands flock to libraries

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A busy start to the year is building on the popularity of Fraser Coast Libraries with thousands of people borrowing books, attending activities and using other library services.

Councillor David Lewis said on one day alone this month, more than 17,700 items were returned as thousands of residents and visitors streamed through the doors of the region’s branches in Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Tiaro, Howard and Burrum Heads.
Visiting the Summer Reading Club break-up party at Maryborough’s Brolga Theatre today, he said it was brilliant to see so many people making use of the libraries as their “community living rooms”.
“Libraries are not just for borrowing books, magazines and DVDs, they’re for using computers and wifi, loaning audiobooks and ebooks and attending activity or information sessions ranging from storytelling for children to local history talks,” Cr Lewis said.
Cr Lewis said in 2019, more than 420,000 visits were recorded at the libraries  – an average of 35,051 a month – and almost 54,000 people attended 1836 community programs or events during the year. On one day in December, almost 2800 library users visited the Hervey Bay Library.
Cr Lewis said almost 39,000 people were members of Fraser Coast Libraries, which equated to more than 35% of the region’s population.

“I’d encourage everyone to join their local library – it’s free and there are loads of benefits,” he said.
“Just visit your local branch to find out more.”

Cr Lewis said the top 10 adult fiction books borrowed from Fraser Coast Libraries in 2019 showed that our book readers were largely lovers of thrillers and adventure with a little romance/relationship and historical stories thrown in:

  1. Past Tense – Lee Child
  2. The Midnight Line – Lee Child
  3. Night School – Lee Child
  4. Ambush – James Patterson and James O. Born
  5. Sanctuary – Judy Nunn
  6. Texas Ranger – James Patterson
  7. Fifty Fifty – James Patterson and Candice Fox
  8. The First Lady – James Patterson and Brendan Du Bois
  9. Dark Sacred Night – Michael Connelly
  10. Camino Island – John Grisham

Cr Lewis said the 10 most popular adult fiction authors in 2019 list reflected similar interests:

  1. James Patterson
  2. Nora Roberts
  3. Lee Child
  4. David Baldacci
  5. Michael Connelly 
  6. Clive Cussler
  7. Anna Jacobs
  8. Danielle Steel
  9. John Sandford
  10. Wilbur Smith

Fraser Coast Libraries receives financial assistance from the Queensland Government through State Library of Queensland.