Statistics 2023

The data below is taken from the integrated library system software used by all public libraries in Saskatchewan.  These numbers highlight the growing patron base and widespread use of the public library system in Saskatchewan, the continued growth of both physical and electronic collections, and a degree of cooperation between public library systems that remains unprecedented in Canada. 

Please note that not all statistics are comparable across all years due to changes in software systems in 2009-10, 2013 and 2015.  Differences in each system’s data gathering and reporting methods will have affected overall numbers.  The current system provides accurate and specific data which the consortium has been using to inform decision making since September 2015.

Usage in 2020 and to a lesser extent 2021 was greatly affected by the Covid19 pandemic. Library branches closed in late March 2020 and began re-opening and offering varying levels of service later in the year. The closures resulted in a large reduction in use of physical collections, followed by a rebound in the years since. Use of OverDrive ebooks and audiobooks has increased significantly over the last several years due to pandemic closures and increased investment by libraries. 

As of 2023, the counts of OverDrive E-Titles are more accurate than in previous years and counts of E-Items and Unique Borrowers of E-Titles have been added. 

Highlights

Circulation of Physical Materials
6,638,954
Holds Placed
1,975,793
Holds Filled through SILS
851,560
Unique Borrowers of Physical MaterialsIndividual Customers
145,251
Physical Titles
1,011,870
Physical Items
3,612,524
Unique Borrowers of OverDrive E-Titles
55,617
OverDrive E-Titles
116,814
OverDrive E-Items
187,628

Cardholder

The chart below indicates the total number of Saskatchewan residents with library cards and the number of active patrons who have used their public library card at least once in the past two years. The data for active patrons is based on customers whose records show one of the following activities: check out, renewal, check-in, billing, payment, placing a hold, a new registration, or a login authentication to access an electronic resource.

Context: Prior to SILS forming in 2010, each library system used their own separate software, so many Saskatchewan residents had multiple library cards as a result.  The launch of SILS meant that a library card could be used at any public library in the province (‘One Province, One Library Card'!). Because residents are no longer required to carry library cards for multiple library systems, the total number of cardholders in recent years more accurately reflects the number of residents registered at a public library in Saskatchewan.
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​Other factors that may have affected registered borrower counts include changes to the definition of a registered borrower, concerted attempts to remove duplicate borrowers from the database, and a change in policy in 2013 which made library cards transferable.  This policy change may have resulted in libraries issuing fewer cards as families are now able to share a single card.  All factors have remained consistent since September 2015, at which point the library system software changed and more accurate counts became available.

Data available: 2009-present; historical data available from government publications: 2009; 2010-2014

Total Active
Dec. 31, 2023 425,011 275,525
Dec. 31, 2022 394,430 276,346
Dec. 31, 2021 398,903 266,560
Dec. 31, 2020 383,350 244,991
Dec. 31, 2019 362,433 267,581
Dec. 31, 2018 345,880 262,202
Dec. 31, 2017 340,806 258,708
Dec. 31, 2016 336,261 254,199
Dec. 31, 2015 335,143 246,114

Interagency Holds

The chart below provides the number of physical items that were shipped among SILS agencies to fill hold requests.  Interlibrary loan (ILL) items, which are borrowed from outside the SILS system, are excluded.

2023 Loaned to another library Borrowed from another library
Chinook Regional Library 49496 53723
Lakeland Library Region 93387 54068
Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System 40752 3761
Palliser Regional Library 80060 41938
Parkland Library Region 50731 71968
Prince Albert Public Library 48199 16439
Provincial Library 10669 278
Regina Public Library 132086 151740
Saskatoon Public Library 140921 199063
Southeast Regional Library 74475 91862
Wapiti Regional Library 60627 68468
Wheatland Regional Library 70157 98252
Total 851560 851560

Reciprocal Borrowing

The chart below shows the number of patrons from each agency who used their library cards in person at a library branch outside the library system that issued their card.

2023 Unique Borrowers Items Checked Out Holds Picked Up
Chinook Regional Library 241 3051 624
Lakeland Library Region 334 5626 1974
Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System 77 786 32
Palliser Regional Library 478 8404 1949
Parkland Library Region 685 16081 2812
Prince Albert Public Library 164 2440 488
Provincial Library 6 127 122
Regina Public Library 871 8311 1865
Saskatoon Public Library 1227 14290 3734
Southeast Regional Library 1744 45412 8152
Wapiti Regional Library 1195 32442 7261
Wheatland Regional Library 2803 82522 19342
Total 9732 219492 48355

Circulation - eBooks and eAudiobooks

The chart below provides the number of ebooks and audiobooks from the OverDrive digital collection that were used by Saskatchewan residents in the last full year from either the library2go site or the Libby app.

Context: Use of OverDrive ebooks and audiobooks has increased significantly over the last several years due to pandemic closures and increased investment by libraries. 

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
Chinook Regional Library 104,692 89,469 82,985 70,140 46,885 40,075 38,011 36,058 36,133 35,083
Lakeland Library Region 135,222 109,979 91,567 79,339 38,026 31,883 48,763 49,800 51,584 48,975
Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System 8,628 6,897 6,466 5018 3647 3139 2575 2200 1804 1792
Palliser Regional Library 93,235 80,220 74,528 67,595 45,944 42,648 41,800 42,604 262,202 345,880
Parkland Library Region 96,243 75,962 70,787 61,721 42,036 35,066 35,189 35,509 34,734 32,434
Prince Albert Public Library 37,151 29,487 25,896 21,982 14,672 13,111 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Regina Public Library 521,746 435,890 398,408 320,597 159,358 122,228 118,998 122,295 126,420 122,689
Saskatoon Public Library 696,154 580,202 524,379 391,059 221,817 180,513 175,516 173,138 167,816 122,689
Southeast Regional Library 170,197 141,349 129,676 108,110 74,679 65,483 62,316 57,720 56,397 52,135
Southeast Regional Library 111,125 96,511 85,844 75,182 51,792 45,993 59,084 59,709 57,925 56,546
Wheatland Regional Library 219,729 194,209 178,478 151,597 108,919 98,336 96,261 89,936 87,513 77,893
Total 2,194,180 1,840,205 1,664,680 1,352,293 807,802 678,480 678,531 668,998 664,668 634,655

Circulation - Physical Materials

The chart below provides total annual circulation of physical materials (electronic materials are not included) by library system for the last full year.  Included are the number of unique borrowers, total circulation (checkouts and renewals combined), and total holds placed.

2023 Unique Borrowers Total Circ Total Holds Placed
Chinook Regional Library 5,261 241,165 91,992
Lakeland Library Region 9,222 404,741 113,406
Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System 3,773 59,583 6,864
Palliser Regional Library 7,406 337,297 86,031
Parkland Library Region 6,770 303,701 125,645
Prince Albert Public Library 3,280 128,815 22,515
Provincial Library 27 700 581
Regina Public Library 37,479 1,669,479 384,212
Saskatoon Public Library 47,395 2,104,767 587,963
Southeast Regional Library 11,536 467,273 198,998
Wapiti Regional Library 8,177 373,149 128,441
Wheatland Regional Library 10,422 548,284 229,145
Total 145,251 6,638,954 1,975,793

Collection Size by Physical Item

The chart below provides the number of physical items in SILS that are available for patrons to use, broken down by material type.  Electronic items, such as ebooks and e-audiobooks, are not included.

All Items Books Video Sound Recording Spoken Word Serials Other
2023 3,612,524 3,072,813 254,192 53,592 49,984 70,930 104,508
2022 3,637,393 3,096,465 250,615 54,430 50,988 72,352 105,722
2021 3,642,940 3,101,325 242,395 56,589 51,100 77,689 110,103
2020 3,633,734 3,093,916 240,268 59,940 50,929 79,188 106,506
2019 3,673,790 3,099,812 229,268 64,074 51,405 124,327 104,355
2018 3,684,721 3,119,316 220,578 66,907 51,308 122,935 103,959
2017 3,657,466 3,107,541 209,054 69,617 50,570 122,443 99,472
2016 3,691,975 3,146,367 202,366 71,417 50,071 125,242 97,787

Collection Size by Title

The chart below provides the number of unique titles in SILS, as well as the number of new titles added per year. E-titles refer to ebooks and e-audio books, and 'physical' titles refer to physical books and media.

All Titles All Physical Titles All E-Titles Newly Added Physical Titles Newly Added E-Titles
2023 1,165,174 1,011,870 153,304 62,800 11,535
2022 1,242,601 1,025,720 216,881 99,870 21,417
2021 1,314,878 1,030,200 284,678 85,748 30,775
2020 1,401,036 1,012,887 388,149 49,462 123,954
2019 1,383,766 1,027,316 356,450 68,630 16,032
2018 1,677,254 1,004,414 672,840 78,997 96,240
2017 1,618,474 1,002,565 615,909 144,494 148,081
2016 1,575,926 995,790 580,136 64,630 228,316

More statistics available here: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016