Sacramento library regulars choosing electronic options over old-school books

The Abridged version:

• Sacramento Public Library patrons are checking out far more electronic materials than traditional bound books.
• The trend is likely to continue. Library officials are planning for increased demand for electronic materials.
• Library visits plummeted during the pandemic and have not completely rebounded.

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Some of the most active Sacramento Public Library patrons rarely set foot in a library. Local residents checked out more ebooks, audiobooks and other electronic materials than physical books from the library last fiscal year, the latest county data show. It was the second consecutive year that electronic circulation outpaced physical circulation — and the trend is growing.

“Our electronic circulation blew up during the pandemic because for the first couple months it was the only way to get materials,” said Michelle Gordon Hartman, the Sacramento Public Library collection services department manager.

Library visits down from 2019

The new habits persist. Last fiscal year, the Sacramento Public Library system saw 2.3 million visits, an increase from the prior year but still well below the 3.7 million visits seen in fiscal year 2019, county and state data show.

Circulation hasn’t fallen at the library — it has just changed. Last year, patrons checked out roughly 4.8 million electronic items, comprising roughly 54% of total circulation. By comparison, electronic items made up about 26% of circulation in fiscal year 2019, state data show.

“After the pandemic, people continue to borrow at the same rate,” Hartman said, but “getting people back into the branches has taken longer.” 

Patrons borrow electronic media mostly through an app on their phones called Libby. In many cases, they can immediately borrow the book they want. For more popular books, they end up on a waiting list and usually get the book within a few weeks — or a few months if the book is really hot.

Electronic media more costly

The trend has created challenges and opportunities for the library.

Licensing electronic media can be complicated. For libraries, it’s often more expensive than buying a physical book, Hartman said. Different books often carry different licensing deals, requiring library officials to attempt to guess how often a book may be borrowed.

The library spends more money today on electronic media than physical media, when digital subscriptions are counted, Hartman said. The trend requires finding a delicate balance between purchasing physical books, purchasing ebooks, and buying ever-more-popular audiobooks.

Old school books often more available

“Our average wait time for materials on Libby is 23 days, which is really good,” Hartman said.

Patrons swap between formats to get popular books fast. A lot of times, the electronic books can be harder to borrow quickly, so eager readers will go old school.

“If you need that book right now, chances are you’re gonna go into the branch to get it,” said Casey Manno, supervisor at the Central Library in downtown Sacramento.

Practice English, play chess

Plenty of other reasons remain for patrons to physically visit the public library. The Central Library hosts conversation groups twice a month where people can practice their English. Social worker interns help people access basic services three times a week. Children’s story time takes place three times a week. A chess club meets every week. There’s a “maker space” where patrons can record music or use a 3D printer.

“We do see people who are digital-mostly users come into the branch and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know this was here,’” Manno said.

Computers provided for patrons

The library also provides computers and a reliable Wi-Fi connection. 

Elena Scott just got her library card. She’s recently experienced homelessness, and likes the quiet and peace of the library, along with internet access.

“Being greeted when you come in is nice,” she said.

Raquel Dudderar often visits the library with her children. On a recent Thursday, her kids were combing through the board games and card games that the library lets anyone borrow.

“Scythe is a good one that we love,” she said, describing some of the games her children were considering. “So this last time we just checked out Expeditions, it’s like a sequel. We did Harvest, but they weren’t crazy about that. Now, he’s looking at Coup.”

Demand for e-materials expected to climb more

Dudderar said she also regularly uses the library online. She often checks out audio books, while her husband usually checks out books for his Kindle. “If I’m going on a trip, I’ll pre check out several,” she said.

The trend is likely to continue, Hartman said. Library officials are planning for increased demand for electronic materials.

“I expect that this fiscal year, we will have hit five million digital circulation,” she said.

Phillip Reese is a regular contributor, writing Numbers Matter for Abridged.