Canadian public library users borrowed 56 million ebooks in 2023 via OverDrive, including via the Libby app – a 16% increase from 2022.

The increase in ebook borrowing reported by OverDrive was matched by increased circulation of audiobooks (up 21% from 2022), e-magazines (up 69%), and electronic comics (up 11%). These numbers refer to all borrowing; no breakout is available for Canadian authors or Canadian-published titles.

The rise in digital borrowing in Canada parallels a similar global picture. Readers worldwide borrowed 370 ebooks last year, an increase of 12% from 2022. Worldwide, 235 million audiobooks, 56 million magazines, and 37 million comics and graphic novels were borrowed, with year-over-year increases of 23%, 75%, and 14%, respectively.

Data is based on OverDrive, a digital borrowing content platform that serves close to 2,000 libraries in Canada and 92,000 libraries and schools in 115 countries worldwide.