Third-annual Library Insights Survey sees eBook usage, room reservations,
and visits continue to rise

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Visits to urban libraries grew by nearly 10% from 2023 to 2024, continuing a three-year trend, and demand for in-person meeting spaces also grew by 25%, finds a new analysis from the Urban Libraries Council. Meanwhile, demand for digital resources, especially eBooks, continues to rise, growing nearly 15% in the same time period.

The combination of enthusiastic digital and in-library meeting space usage is especially pronounced when compared to 2019 levels, showing 58% and 31% increases respectively, demonstrating that libraries are both adapting to new realities, while maintaining a focus on traditional priorities of literacy and community engagement. However, increased digital resource usage presents its own challenge for libraries, as the cost of ebooks is several times greater than that of physical books for libraries.

The findings come from ULC’s third-annual Library Insights Survey, which collects key data on budgets, staffing, operations, visitors, and programs, to capture how customers actually use their library.

“Public libraries are essential social infrastructure, providing communities with access to modern tools and spaces for information and connection,” said Brooks Rainwater, President and CEO of the Urban Libraries Council. “The timely member-powered data found in the Library Insights Survey helps libraries continue to innovate and advocate to better serve their patrons.”

Other key takeaways include:

• Early literacy and school-age programs remain core priorities, with 69% of libraries ranking them as the most frequently offered and highest attended
• Libraries have seen an 8% increase in the number of programs offered in 2024
• Computer usage recorded a 12% increase, breaking a trend that saw a 64% decline in usage in 2022 (compared to 2019) and a 70.6% decline in 2023 (compared to 2022)
• Budgets increased 5% in 2024, but an additional 5.4% would have been necessary to keep pace with inflation

“Data-power decision making that helps improve the quality of the patron experience is more important than ever,” said Femi Adelakun, Director of Research and Data for ULC. “With deeper insights and powerful comparison tools, libraries can meet the demands of tomorrow and ensure they remain pillars of public trust in North America.”

Read the entire Library Insights Survey report here, including for more detailed used trends by population size.

CONTACT: Evan Ottenfeld – eottenfeld@urbanlibraries.org