Digital Library Project

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

In March 2020, San Diego County Library (SDCL) closed all branches when California’s stay-at-home order was issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the lack of access to physical collections, SDCL’s Digital Library became the primary point of library access for the community. By adjusting and pivoting its service model, SDCL aimed to support readers and learners of all ages by reallocating funding, adding new features and expanding access. SDCL now ranks second in eBook circulation in the state of California, and 12th in the world, among libraries that are using the industry-leading eBook vendor, OverDrive. SDCL’s total circulation in 2020 3.242 million books and items, increased by 60.9% over the previous year’s mark of 2.07 million. Circulation of kids’ and teen materials increased 155%, from 347,049 to 885,572 books and items, showing an even greater impact among the library’s youngest readers.