CW MARS OVER TWO MILLION DIGITAL CHECKOUTS IN 2021
CW MARS continues to see increases in usage of electronic content. 2021 reached a record-breaking two million digital book checkouts. For CW MARS, this milestone illustrates the continued growth and importance of library digital lending of ebooks and audiobooks, especially after a prolonged period of building closures due to the global pandemic. CW MARS, a consortium consisting of 155 libraries in Central and Western Massachusetts, is one of 121 public library systems worldwide that surpassed one million checkouts (complete list here).
CW MARS member libraries have been providing readers 24/7 access to ebooks and audiobooks for several years through the award-winning Libby app, the library reading app created by OverDrive. Reader interest and usage has grown every year. Member libraries with the highest electronic circulation include Worcester Public Library, Shrewsbury Public Library, Jones Library in Amherst, and the Forbes Library in Northampton.
“It’s exciting that our consortium is on its fourth year straight of hitting over 1 million checkouts during a calendar year, with 2021 being the highest record to date!” said Brittany McDougal, Director of the Oxford Free Public Library and President of the CW MARS Executive Committee. “This past year has proven how important e-content continues to be for our patrons. With some libraries still being closed well into 2021 due to the pandemic, OverDrive was able to help fill the needs of our patrons, digitally. We can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store!”
The highest-circulating title CW MARS readers borrowed in 2021 was The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. See our Top Titles in 2021 for more details on the most popular titles.
Readers in Massachusetts just need a valid library card from a CW MARS member library to access digital books from CW MARS’s OverDrive-powered digital collection. Readers can use any major device, including Apple(R), Android™, Chromebook™ and Kindle(R) (US only).
Visit https://cwmars.overdrive.com/ or download the Libby app to get started and borrow ebooks and audiobooks anytime, anywhere.