According to the 2014 Public Library Data Service (PLDS) statistical report, cardholders of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County checked out an astonishing 17.4 million items in 2013, making the Library the sixth busiest Library system in the United States. The report is published each year by the Public Library Association, the largest division of the American Library Association. The 2014 PLDS report is based on survey responses collected from more than 1,800 public libraries in the United States and Canada for the fiscal year 2013. In last year’s report (2012 usage data), the Library was the seventh busiest library in the United States.
The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County was the only system in the top six busiest libraries in the United States to see an increase in the number of circulating items in 2013. The Library’s use per capita of 21.7 items was first in the country among libraries serving a population of 800,000 or more. Looking at libraries serving a population between 750,000 and 850,000, the Library’s circulation was the highest in the country.
Kimber L. Fender, the Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director of the Library, attributes the increase in usage at the Library to a number of factors: “We have made a concerted effort to expand our digital collection over the past 12 months. We now have more books, videos, and music available for our customers to download 24-7. Our efforts to provide the best customer service possible are paying off with an increase in usage and loyalty.”
According to the report, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County has 526,235 cardholders and circulated 17,423,851 items in 2013, including more than 9.2 million print materials, more than 7 million CD/DVDs, and nearly 1 million downloaded items. A total of 7.3 million visitors came to the Library’s 41 locations. Â
