As the pandemic continues, residents of Windsor are increasingly relying on the library.
The number of items borrowed in 2021 showed a 7.6% increase over the previous year, including a 4% increase in digital borrowings.
“In 2021, Windsor Public Library continued to pivot and demonstrate daily that we support our community at every turn,” said the Ward 3 Coun. Rino Bortolin, Chairman of the Library Board.
“The community has come to depend on us for information and entertainment resources no matter what.”
Bortolin spoke at the Windsor Public Library’s Annual General Meeting on Tuesday morning.
He said the proportion of residents with a library card has increased 5.6% year over year, and now nearly half of all Windsor residents have a card.
“Apart from the actual physical infrastructure, such as roads, sewers or sidewalks, there is no other service used by so many people and so many members of our community,” he said.
The library has provided a breakdown of the year’s most popular items.
Top 5 books borrowed in 2021:
- The Four Winds – Kristen Hannah.
- Midnight Library – Matt Haig.
- Madness of Crowds – Louise Penny.
- Victory – Harlan Coben.
- The last thing he said to me – Laura Dave.
Top 5 borrowed ebooks:
- A Time for Mercy – John Grisham.
- Becoming – Michelle Obama.
- Daylight – David Baldacci.
- The Awakening: Legacy of the Dragonheart, Book 1 – Nora Roberts.
- One Minute to Midnight – David Baldacci.
Top 5 Borrowed Movies:
- Wonder Woman 1984.
- Principle.
- The father.
- Black Widow.
- Godzilla versus Kong.
Donation for Ukraine
The Windsor Public Library also received a $10,000 donation to help Ukrainian refugees come to Windsor. The donation came from a foundation led by former library board member Margaret Payne and Dr. Chris Chamandy, Bortolin said.
The library purchases Ukrainian-English and English-Ukrainian language resources in print and digital format for children and adults to borrow.
Over the summer, staff will also use the resources to organize multilingual storytimes and language circles.
The library also continues to search for a permanent central branch.