BOSTON - December 18, 2023 - Today the Boston Public Library (BPL) released its end-of-year wrap-up. Among the milestones the BPL celebrated were the launch of significant initiatives that helped connect even more patrons to the programs and services they need to enrich their lives, including the launch of video interpretation services at all BPL locations; joining the Books Unbanned initiative to support the rights of teens and young adults nationwide to read what they like without censorship, and launching the Browse, Borrow, Board program to deliver commuters instant access to eBooks and eAudiobooks without a library card.
New, glassed-in alcoves in the Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center meant that 11 thousand meetings could take place in professional, private environments at no cost. Nearly seven thousand people visited the new Special Collections space in its first full year open since its renovation, while 83 couples celebrated accessible and affordable Wedding Ceremonies at the Central Library in Copley Square.
"Between lending a combined 5.5 million physical and digital items and serving more than 6 million patrons in both our physical locations and through our online services, we see clearly that today's public libraries are more vibrant and vital than ever," said David Leonard, President of the BPL. "As we close the door on 2023, we are grateful to all the patrons, partners, and staff members who made this such a successful year. We look forward to 2024 and to providing even more of the innovative, thought-provoking, and educational programs and services we deliver to enrich the lives of our patrons from across Boston, the Commonwealth, the nation, and beyond."
The BPL's Readers Services Department has also published its annual list of the top borrowed titles of the year; as well as top borrowed titles for adults, children, and teens; and the staff's favorite books of the year.
The Top 10 Checked Out Books in 2023, across print and digital, were:
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Spare, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
- Book Lovers, Emily Henry
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- Happy Place, Emily Henry
- 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, Brianna West
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- It Starts with Us, Colleen Hoover
"The most borrowed titles of 2023 list is an interesting mix of novels and memoirs, some of which deal with heavy topics of grief and tragedy, combined with some beloved 'BookTok' authors launching new titles in existing worlds," said Melissa Andrews, BPL's Chief of Collection Management. "Both scenarios tell a story about the value of reading - whether we choose to read a story of perseverance or survival in difficult times, or a novel that transports us back to a familiar world, populated by characters we know whose story arcs end happily, books can not only be comforting, but can also provide a sense of connection to and understanding of the world."
Top Five Reads, Listens, and Views:
Top Adult Books
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
- Full List
Top Teen Books
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson
- Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
- Heartstopper: Volume 1, Alice Oseman
- The Inheritance Games, Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- Full List
Top Children's Books
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
- Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Full List
Top eBooks
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Book Lovers, Emily Henry
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- The Summer I Turned Pretty, Jenny Han
- Happy Place, Emily Henry
- Full List
Top Audiobooks
- 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, Brianna West
- Spare, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
- Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- Girl, Forgotten, Karin Slaughter
- Full List
Top Movies Streamed (Kanopy)
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Pleasure
- Father Brown
- Venus
- A Perfect Spy
- Full List
Top Albums Streamed (Hoopla)
- Midnights [3am edition], Taylor Swift
- Hamilton, Original Broadway Cast Recording
- Speak Now (Taylor's Version), Taylor Swift
- Lover, Taylor Swift
- reputation, Taylor Swift
- Full List
Anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Massachusetts can obtain a BPL library card or may register for a BPL library eCard at bpl.org/ecard. Patrons can check out physical items by placing holds at bpl.org or on the BPL to Go app; by visiting any open branch, or by calling 617.536.5400.
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Top Books Checked Out at Each Open Location:
Adams Street
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- It Starts with Us, Colleen Hoover
- Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng
- Jessi's Secret Language, Chan Chau
Brighton
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Central Library in Copley Square
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Charlestown
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- It Starts with Us, Colleen Hoover
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
- Pineapple Street, Jenny Jackson
Chinatown
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
- Dog Man: Mothering Heights, Dav Pilkey
- Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner
- Chang gong zhu, Moshubai
- Hua qian jin, Weiman
Codman Square
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild, Dav Pilkey
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng
Connolly
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt
- Olga Dies Dreaming, Xochitl Gonzalez
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
East Boston
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
- Jessi's Secret Language, Chan Chau
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot, Jeff Kinney
Egleston Square
- The Switcheroo Rescue!, FGTeeV
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man Unleashed, Dav Pilkey
Fields Corner
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball, Jeff Kinney
- Yellowface, R. F. Kuang
Grove Hall
- Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Booger Boy, Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers, Dav Pilkey
- Karen's School Picture, Katy Farina
- Sisters, Raina Telgemeier
- White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, Robin DiAngelo
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot, Jeff Kinney
Honan-Allston
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Trust, Hernán Díaz
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
Hyde Park
- Dog Man: Mothering Heights, Dav Pilkey
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Dog Man and Cat Kid, Dav Pilkey
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
- Mad Honey, Jodi Picoult
Jamaica Plain
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Trust, Hernán Díaz
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
Lower Mills
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties, Dav Pilkey
Mattapan
- Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose, Dav Pilkey
- Captain Underpants and the Tyrannical Retaliation of the Turbo Toilet 2000: The Eleventh Epic Novel, Dav Pilkey
- Jessi's Secret Language, Chan Chau
- Cat Kid Comic Club: Collaborations, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
North End
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Happy Place, Emily Henry
- Mad Honey, Jodi Picoult
Parker Hill
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner
- Dog Man: Fetch-22, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Mothering Heights, Dav Pilkey
Roslindale
- I Really Like Slop!, Mo Willems
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Are You Ready to Play Outside?, Mo Willems
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- My New Friend is So Fun!, Mo Willems
Roxbury
- Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls, Dav Pilkey
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
- Jessi's Secret Language, Chan Chau
- Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
South Boston
- Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Happy Place, Emily Henry
- It Starts with Us, Colleen Hoover
Uphams Corner
- The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture, Gabor Maté
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- The Maid, Nita Prose
- Poverty, By America, Matthew Desmond
- I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy
West End
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
- Hello Beautiful, An Napolitano
- Spare, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
West Roxbury
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
- Small Mercies, Dennis Lehane
- I Really Like Slop!, Mo Willems
- Someone Else's Shoes, Jojo Moyes
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
