BOSTON - January 4, 2023 - As the new year begins, the Boston Public Library is looking back on the milestones and significant moments of 2022. This year, the library continued its focus on equity, inclusion, and connecting patrons with the resources and services they need across the city. Highlights from the year include the completion of the $15.7M renovation and reopening of the BPL’s Special Collections Department; the launch of the BPL Passport, encouraging patrons to get out and explore our 26 locations; the successful Long-Term Device Lending Program, distributing 3,000 Wi-Fi routers and 6,200 Chromebooks to patrons for free; holding 100 affordable and accessible Wedding Ceremonies at the Central Library in Copley Square, and much more.
“As we close the door on 2022, the BPL is proud of its continuing service to Bostonians, and patrons across the Commonwealth and beyond,” said BPL President David Leonard. “This year, we lent more than 666,800 print titles, and 3.8 million digital items. More than 273,700 patrons used their BPL library cards, and we registered more than 103,370 new users. We also had more than 2.1 million in-person visitors systemwide. Throughout the year, the BPL has worked hard to provide thoughtful, equitable, and meaningful programming, services, and resources to everyone who walks through our doors and visits us online. As we forge ahead into 2023, we look forward to another year of connection, and of meeting the evolving needs of our beloved communities.”
The BPL's Readers Services Department has 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 2022, across print and digital, were:
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Anxious People, Fredrik Backman
- The Four Winds, Kristin Hannah
- People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry
- The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Victoria Schwab
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori Gottlieb
“The most borrowed titles of 2022 cover a broad variety of genres, with both romance and science fiction represented this year. This is a notable change from the memoirs and thrillers that have been most popular over the last few years,” said BPL Chief of Collection Management, Melissa Andrews. “Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have become an important place for readers to discover, share, and amplify titles and authors - and a place where those readers are re-discovering libraries as a free and accessible way to seek out these trending reads.”
Top Five Reads, Listens, and Views:
Top Adult Books
- Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave
- Full List
Top Teen Books
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson
- Legendborn, Tracy Deonn
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Malinda Lo
- Iron Widow, Xiran Jay Zhao
- Demon Slayer, Koyoharu Gotoge
- Full List
Top Children’s Books
- Dog Man, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man Unleashed, Dav Pilkey
- Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Diary of A Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
- Mothering Heights, Dav Pilkey
- Full List
Top eBooks
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Four Winds, Kristin Hannah
- Anxious People, Fredrik Backman
- Full List
Top Audiobooks
- The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
- 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, Brianna Wiest
- Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- Full List
Top Movies Streamed (Kanopy)
- Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
- Parasite
- Spencer
- The Automat
- 9 Songs [uncut]
- Full List
Top Albums Streamed (Hoopla)
- Encanto, Movie Soundtrack
- Midnights [3am Edition], Taylor Swift
- Hamilton, Original Broadway Cast Recording
- Moana, Movie Soundtrack
- The Greatest Showman, Movie Soundtrack
- 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
- Big Nate: Welcome to My World, Lincoln Peirce
- Cat Kid Comic Club, Dav Pilkey
- The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
- Dog Man Unleashed, Dav Pilkey
Brighton
- Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner
- Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid
Central Library in Copley Square
- The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
- Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- Normal People, Sally Rooney
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Charlestown
- I Love My New Toy!, Mo Willems
- I Really Like Slop!, Mo Willems
- The Lincoln Highway, Amor Towles
- Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
- Listen to My Trumpet!, Mo Willems
Chinatown
- Shui zai na er, Xiaobo?, Eric Hill
- Dog Man Unleashed, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Xiaobo shuo wan an, Eric Hill
- San ge ke he shang, Kristina Tao
Codman Square
- Pete the Cat and the Itsy Bitsy Spider, James Dean
- Dog Man and Cat Kid, Dav Pilkey
- My New Friend is So Fun!, Mo Willems
- Shape Up, Construction Trucks!, Victoria Allenby
- Hello Dinosaurs!, Joan Holub
Connolly
- Of Women and Salt, Gabriela Garcia
- Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner
- The Sentence, Louise Erdrich
- Mercy Street, Jennifer Haigh
- Cloud Cuckoo Land, Anthony Doerr
East Boston
- Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
- Dog Man Unleashed, Dav Pilkey
- The Thank You Book, Mo Willems
Egleston Square
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Just Us: An American Conversation, Claudia Rankine
- Fulfillment, Alec MacGillis
- New Kid, Jerry Craft
- Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild, Dav Pilkey
Fields Corner
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
- I Will Take a Nap!, Mo Willems
- Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-Up, Melissa Thomson
- Freddie Ramos Springs into Action, Jacqueline Jules
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney
Grove Hall
- New Kid, Jerry Craft
- Sisters, Raina Telgemeier
- Washington Black, Esi Edugyan
- Let’s Go for a Drive!, Mo Willems
- I Will Surprise My Friend!, Mo Willems
Honan-Allston
- Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- Normal People, Sally Rooney
- The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
- Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner
Hyde Park
- Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild, Dav Pilkey
- Drama, Raina Telgemeier
- Dog Man: Fetch-22, Dav Pilkey
- Today I Will Fly!, Mo Willems
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
Jamaica Plain
- Are You Ready to Play Outside?, Mo Willems
- My New Friend is So Fun!, Mo Willems
- Should I Share My Ice Cream?, Mo Willems
- Let’s Go For a Drive!, Mo Willems
- Happy Pig Day!, Mo Willems
Lower Mills
- Dog Man Unleashed, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties, Dav Pilkey
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
- The Truth About Stacey, Raina Telgemeier
Mattapan
- Nana, Ai Yazawa
- Cat Kid Comic Club, Dav Pilkey
- Grime and Punishment, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls, Dav Pilkey
- Captain Underpants and the big Bad battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Dav Pilkey
North End
- The Paris Apartment, Lucy Foley
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Guest List, Lucy Foley
- Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Parker Hill
- The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
- Mothering Heights, Dav Pilkey
- Normal People, Sally Rooney
- Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild, Dav Pilkey
- Beautiful World, Where Are You, Sally Rooney
Roxbury
- Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild, Dav Pilkey
- Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls, Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties, Dav Pilkey
South Boston
- Reminders of Him, Colleen Hoover
- It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover
- Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
- Daisy Jones & the Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Uphams Corner
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Third Wheel, Jeff Kinney
- A Texan Looks at Lyndon: A Study in Illegitimate Power, J. Evetts Haley
- Diary of a Worm: Nat the Gnat, Lori Haskins Houran
- Happy Pig Day!, Mo Willems
- The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Sherman Alexie
West End
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
- The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave
- The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett
- The Lincoln Highway, Amor Towles
- Beautiful World, Where Are You, Sally Rooney
West Roxbury
- Pigs Make Me Sneeze!, Mo Willems
- Let’s Go for a Drive!, Mo Willems
- Today I Will Fly!, Mo Willems
- I Really Like Slop!, Mo Willems
- I Will Surprise My Friend!, Mo Willems
