New York City’s Three Public Library Systems Share the Top Checkouts of 2022 (Adult, Children, Young Adult Books)
From a Joint News Release:
New York City’s three library systems—the Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library—have unveiled the most popular books of the year, sharing the top checkouts of 2022 at each system for adults, teens, and children. The annual lists include the top titles in all formats: e-books, audiobooks, and physical books.
The top checkout for the Brooklyn Public Library was the novelThe Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, a mystery about a woman searching for the truth about her husband’s disappearance. The most borrowed book at The New York Public Library was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, a novel about a woman looking for her best possible life through enchanted books. The Paris Apartment byLucy Foley, a tension-filled mystery told from different points of view, was the favorite of patrons at Queens Public Library.
Several of the books on the libraries’ lists were featured titles on WNYC’s “Get Lit!” virtual book club, a partnership with The New York Public Library, which was started at the height of the pandemic and has led to approximately 150,000 checkouts over the past two years. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, the top checkout at both Brooklyn and NYPL last year, remained on Brooklyn’s list. At NYPL, two “Get Lit” titles were featured: This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub made an appearance on the system-wide list, while The Candy House by Jennifer Egan was a top checkout in Manhattan.
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s historical fiction novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo appeared on all three lists and popular selections also included Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, and People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry.
The full lists of 2022 top checkouts can be found at www.nypl.org/topcheckouts2022; http://bklynlib.org/topcheckouts2022; or queenslibrary.org.
Adult titles are below:
Brooklyn Public Library
- The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel by Laura Dave
- The Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig
- Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
- People We Meet on Vacation: A Novel by Emily Henry
- Malibu Rising: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Vanishing Half: A Novel by Brit Bennett
- Klara and the Sun: A Novel by Kazuo Ishiguro
The New York Public Library (which includes the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island)
Systemwide:
- The Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig
- Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel by Bonnie Garmus
- The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles
- Malibu Rising: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- People We Meet on Vacation: A Novel by Emily Henry
- This Time Tomorrow: A Novel by Emma Straub
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
- It Ends with Us: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
Bronx:
- The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel by Laura Dave
- The Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig
- It Ends With Us: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
- Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
- Dream Town by David Baldacci
- Wish You Were Here: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
- Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel by Anthony Doerr
- The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles
- Run, Rose, Run: A Novel by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
- The Match: A Novel by Harlan Coben
Manhattan:
- Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
- Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
- Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel by Anthony Doerr
- The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles
- Malibu Rising: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig
- The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel by Laura Dave
- Harlem Shuffle: A Novel by Colson Whitehead
- The Candy House: A Novel by Jennifer Egan
- People We Meet on Vacation: A Novel by Emily Henry
Staten Island
- The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel by Laura Dave
- Run, Rose, Run: A Novel by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
- It Ends With Us: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
- What Happened to the Bennetts: A Novel by Lisa Scottoline
- Dream Town by David Baldacci
- Invisible: A Novel by Danielle Steel
- High Stakes: A Novel by Danielle Steel
- People We Meet on Vacation: A Novel by Emily Henry
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- The Four Winds: A Novel by Kristin Hannah
Queens Public Library
- The Paris Apartment: A Novel byLucy Foley
- It Ends With Us: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
- The Judge’s List: A Novel by John Grisham
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel by Laura Dave
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
- Wish You Were Here: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
- What Happened to the Bennetts: A Novel by Lisa Scottoline
“New Yorkers have character and it’s no surprise that this year’s top checkouts show they love good books with great characters,” said Brian Bannon, The New York Public Library’s Merryl and James Tisch Director of Branch Libraries and Education. “The titles checked out at The New York Public Library this year are wonderful stories that invite readers to take a break from the hustle of everyday life and visit new places (and time periods) with interesting people doing fascinating things. We’re delighted to share these books with our patrons and welcome all New Yorkers to use their library card and choose their next adventure.”
“In a year where we saw unparalleled attempts to restrict and challenge access to books, New York City’s libraries continue to stand behind and protect the freedom to read,” said Amy Mikel, BPL’s Director of Customer Experience. “It’s wonderful to see New York’s readers reaching for books that spark imagination and illuminate the lived experiences of others, and bring us all together.”
“This year’s list of top 10 checkouts reflects the eclecticism of our readers’ interests,” said Nick Buron, QPL’s Chief Librarian. “For the first time in years, nonfiction didn’t make the cut. The mix of mystery, thrillers, romance, fantasy, and historical fiction suggests a need to take a break from a challenging time. We also are excited to see Colleen Hoover make her QPL debut with two blockbuster, self-published novels.”
The top checkouts for children’s books at the three library systems predominantly featured titles from popular series, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney and Dog Man by Dav Pilkey. For young adults, Malinda Lo’s teen novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club appeared on all three teen lists. The book was a featured title of the libraries’ Banned Book Challenge in May, which encouraged New Yorkers to read 10 banned books.
The top 10 books for children and teens are listed below.
TOP 10 LISTS FOR CHILDREN
Brooklyn Public Library Top 10 Checkouts for Children
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
- Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Big Shot by Jeff Kinney
- Guts by Raina Telgemeier
- Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
- Wrecking Ball (Diary of A Wimpy Kid, Book 14) by Jeff Kinney
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
- Dog Man Fetch-22 by Dav Pilkey
- Minecraft by Sfé R. Monster, art by Sarah Graley
- Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
The New York Public Library Top 10 Checkouts for Children
- Big Shot (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 16) by Jeff Kinney
- Wrecking Ball (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 14) by Jeff Kinney
- The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5) by Jeff Kinney
- Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4) by Jeff Kinney
- The Deep End (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 15) by Jeff Kinney
- Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6) by Jeff Kinney
- The Getaway (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 12) by Jeff Kinney
- The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 3) by Jeff Kinney
- The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
- Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 2) by Jeff Kinney
Queens Public Library Top 10 Checkouts for Children
- Dog Man: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: Grime and Punishment by Dav Pilkey
- Big Shot (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 16) by Jeff Kinney
- Dog Man: Fetch-22 by Dav Pilkey
- Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
- Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls by Dav Pilkey
- The Deep End (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 15) by Jeff Kinney
- Wrecking Ball (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 14) by Jeff Kinney
- Dog Man Unleashed by Dav Pilkey
- The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
TOP 10 LISTS FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Brooklyn Public Library Top 10 Checkouts for Young Adults
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto
- Bleach by Tite Kubo
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
- One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
- Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
New York Public Library Top 10 Checkouts for Young Adults
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
- A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
- The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
Queens Public Library Top 10 Checkouts for Young Adults
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
- Bleach by Tite Kubo
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Filed under: Libraries, News, Patrons and Users, Public Libraries
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.