Hills libraries top NSW for number of books loaned

It’s official! The Hills shire is a haven for hungry bookworms.

• School holiday activities
• Council elections are 2017

It’s official we are a shire of bookworms with more than 1.3 million books borrowed from Hills’ libraries last financial year.

According to the figures released by the State Library of NSW The Hills Shire Library service topped the State for items loaned.

The statistics are a good read themselves with more than 1.07 million visits paid to Hills libraries in the 12-month period for the 2014/2015 financial year.

During that period Hills staff processed 1.33 million loans and dealt with 87,256 information requests.

Hungry Hills book worms devoured 671,314 children’s books while adults consumed 311,747 books during the year.

The study covered five local libraries: Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Carlingford, Dural and Vinegar Hill at Rouse Hill which together recorded the biggest stock turnover with an average of nearly seven loans per item held, according to the State Library’s recently released performance figures.

The figures also show that 32,505 loans were processed per staff member — far greater than the NSW average of 17,970.

Wireless internet sessions increased by more than 25 per cent to 214,924 across the service. The libraries also hosted 1,075 events over the 12 months, serving 30,368 participants.

The busiest library was Castle Hill. It’s automated returns system (see video) is handling up to 9000 items a week.

Hills Mayor Yvonne Keane called the figures “fantastic.

“Our staff and volunteers are careful to purchase stock that is in high demand and relevant to user needs — and this shows in the results achieved,” she said.

“People are making the most of the library as a place to connect, a space to study and learn, and to enjoy events like author talks and school holiday clubs,” she said.

She said the Vinegar Hill Memorial Library at Rouse Hill Town Centre is her children’s “absolute favourite place” to be on a Saturday morning.

“Our libraries are an amazing example of a truly connected and inclusive community, and I congratulate everyone who has worked so hard to achieve these excellent results,” she said.

MOST BORROWED

FICTION

Anything by Liane Moriarty

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins,

Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

NON FICTION

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

DVD

Outlander Season One based on the books by Diana Gabaldon.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Treehouse books (The 78 Storey Treehouse) by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

Geronimo Stilton series by Geronimo Stilton

Diary of a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney