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- Kristin Hannah’s The Women leads library checkouts and Libby downloads
- Female authors dominate most-borrowed lists nationwide
- Other widely borrowed fiction across regional libraries
- Nonfiction and audio formats that drew the most interest
- How libraries compile and interpret their most-borrowed lists
- Where these borrowing patterns point for publishers and libraries
Kristin Hannah’s novel about an Army nurse and a fractured American family emerged as the single most-borrowed title in public libraries across the U.S. last year, and it helped reveal a larger trend: readers nationwide reached for books by women in droves.
Kristin Hannah’s The Women leads library checkouts and Libby downloads
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Published in 2024, The Women topped circulation lists from small-city systems to statewide networks. It appeared on best-of lists in places as varied as Clawson, Michigan; Lawrence, Kansas; Flathead County, Montana; and even the Hawaii State Public Library system.
The title also dominated the public library ebook app Libby, taking the crown as the most-borrowed ebook for the year.
Library staff say the book’s combination of emotional storytelling and historical setting fueled repeat checkouts. Harold Escalante, assistant director of collections and access at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, noted patrons consistently gravitate to Hannah’s immersive narratives.
Female authors dominate most-borrowed lists nationwide
Across many systems, books written by women filled the top slots. On Libby’s year-end ranking, every title in the top 10 was authored by a woman.
- Rebecca Yarros placed multiple romantasy entries among the most-circulated books, including Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm.
- Other women with frequent showings on local lists included Freida McFadden, Holly Jackson, and Emily Henry.
- Titles appealing to a wide range of readers, from thrillers to romance, helped push women authors to the forefront of circulation charts.
Other widely borrowed fiction across regional libraries
Beyond Hannah and Yarros, several novels repeatedly appeared on local top-10 lists.
- Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods, a thriller tied to a summer-camp disappearance, was a standout in library systems from Island Park, New York, to Washington state’s Timberland Regional Library.
- Readers also checked out Alison Espach’s The Wedding People, Abby Jimenez’s Just for the Summer, and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere: A Love Story.
Regional differences showed up, too. In some Ohio suburbs and Colorado counties, crime and police thrillers by Michael Connelly and David Baldacci ranked highly.
James Patterson dominated Phoenix’s circulation lists with multiple releases, including The Texas Murders, Holmes Is Missing, and Raised by Wolves.
Nonfiction and audio formats that drew the most interest
On nonfiction shelves and in audiobook queues, Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory was one of the most-requested titles, and it placed near the top on Libby’s overall list.
Libraries reported strong circulation in multiple formats. Audiobooks, ebooks, and accessible formats remain critical parts of how patrons read.
How libraries compile and interpret their most-borrowed lists
Year-end lists vary by system. Some libraries break out numbers by format and age group. Others publish only overall print circulation rankings.
Brian Bannon, chief librarian at the New York Public Library, reminded readers that bestseller lists reflect a small slice of public library offerings. He emphasized that circulation figures don’t capture the full range of services.
Access for all formats matters. The Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, which serves readers with print disabilities, reported the highest circulation among NYPL branches. That underlines how different reading methods contribute to total use.
Where these borrowing patterns point for publishers and libraries
High checkout totals for certain books can guide acquisitions and programming. Libraries often use circulation data to shape purchase decisions, outreach events, and book club selections.
- Programming impact: Popular titles frequently inspire author events and community discussions.
- Collection planning: Systems may expand copies or formats when demand spikes.
- Reader services: Strong interest in accessible formats highlights the need to maintain broad format availability.
