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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Regional eBook and Audiobook Download System (R.E.A.D.S.) announced that they achieved a record-breaking 4,957,038 digital e-book, audiobook, magazine and video checkouts in 2020.
Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. was once again one of OverDrive’s most used digital library services. OverDrive is the world’s leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools. Last year, R.E.A.D.S. had the fourth-highest number of checkouts worldwide and was the southeast’s number one library system.
The record number of checkouts is a milestone for the top five Tennessee libraries for digital checkouts through R.E.A.D.S.: Williamson County Public Library, Linebaugh Public Library in Rutherford County, Blount County Public Library, Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library and Johnson City Public Library, along with all of the Tennessee Regional Library System members across the state.
Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. provides any Tennessean with an active library card from a public library in the Tennessee Regional Library System 24/7 access to free digital content. The Regional Library System is a part of the Tennessee State Library & Archives, a division of the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office.
“Free access to entertaining and educational online resources is a vital service for Tennesseans, especially during a pandemic,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “We will continue to promote and support accessible digital library services across our great state.”
Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. features a vast catalog of more than 100,000 titles, with new and popular titles added every month. In 2020, the top-circulating genre was Mystery/Thriller, followed by Romance. E-books were the most popular format with 2,929,674 checkouts, followed by audiobooks with 1,879,508 checkouts, magazines with 131,689 checkouts and video with 16,167 checkouts.
The top 5 eBook titles borrowed through Tennessee R.E.A.D.S.’s in 2020:
1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (5476 checkouts)
2. Educated, a memoir by Tara Westover (3295)
3. Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks (3202)
4. The Reckoning by John Grisham (3027)
5. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (2802)
The top 5 audiobook titles borrowed through Tennessee R.E.A.D.S.’s in 2020:
1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling (6531 checkouts)
2. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (4392)
3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (4111)
4. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (3881)
5. The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter (3662)
Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. through OverDrive, and their award-winning app, Libby, seamlessly connects first-time and experienced users with the industry’s most extensive catalog of e-books, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media.
Through R.E.A.D.S., Tennesseans with active cards from participating public libraries may browse the library’s digital collection, instantly borrow titles and start reading, listening or watching for free. Digital content can be downloaded or streamed to a personal computer, smartphone, tablet or e-reader. Titles automatically expire at the end of the lending period with no late fees.
To learn more or to start using Tennessee R.E.A.D.S., visit reads.overdrive.com or download the Libby app.
