Statistics 2018

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.

Highlights

Circulation of Physical Materials
7,467,976
Holds Placed
1,746,504
Holds filled through SILS
734,157
Unique borrowers of Phys. MaterialsIndividual Customers
154,331
TitlesAll physical and electronic, including Library2Go and 3M
1,677,254
Physical Items
3,684,721
E-Items
672,840

Cardholders

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.

- Total Active
Dec 31, 2014 366,152 -
Dec 31, 2015 335,143 246,114
Dec 31, 2016 336,261 254,199
Dec 31, 2017 340,806 258,708
Dec 31, 2018 345,880 262,202

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;

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. Electronic titles refer to ebooks and e-audio books included in the catalogue, 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
2016 1,575,926 995,790 580,136 64,630 228,316
2017 1,618,474 1,002,565 615,909 144,494 148,081
2018 1,677,254 1,004,414 672,840 78,997 ​96,240

Data available: 2016-present

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
2016 3,691,975 3,146,367 202,366 71,417 50,071 125,242 97,787
2017 3,657,466 3,107,541 209,054 69,617 50,570 122,443 ​99,472
2018 3,684,721 3,119,316 220,578 66,907 51,308 122,935 103,959

Data available: 2016-present

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.

2018 Unique Borrowers Total Circulation Total Holds Placed
​Chinook Regional Library 5882 259,081 67,749
Lakeland Library Region 7810 348,059 88,743
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 4407 97,721 7007
Palliser Regional Library 8375 352,941 79,629
Parkland Regional Library 7320 293,465 93,845
Prince Albert Public Library 4656 185,601 43,690
Regina Public Library 37,987 1,979,935 359,766
​Saskatoon Public Library 53,668 2,512,035 539,814
​Southeast Regional Library 11,185 435,679 138,604
Wapiti Regional Library 9400 433,913 126,884
Wheatland Regional Library 11,191 553,915 200,773
Total ​161,881 ​7,467,976 ​1,746,504

 

Circulation - eBooks and eAudiobooks

The chart below provides the number of eBooks and eAudiobooks from the Library2Go collection that were used by Saskatchewan residents in the last full year.

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
​Chinook Regional Library 35,083 36,133 36,058 38,011 40,075
Lakeland Library Region 48,975 51,584 49,800 48,763 31,883
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 1792 1804 2200 2575 3139
Palliser Regional Library 45,597 44,291 42,604 41,800 42,648
Parkland Regional Library 32,434 34,734 35,509 35,189 35,066
Prince Albert Public Library N/A N/A N/A N/A 13,1111
Regina Public Library 122,689 126,420 122,295 118,998 122,228
​Saskatoon Public Library 161,508 167,816 173,138 175,516 180,513
​Southeast Regional Library 52,135 56,397 57,720 62,316 65,483
Wapiti Regional Library 56,546 57,925 59,709 ​59,084 45,993
Wheatland Regional Library 77,893 87,513 89,936 ​96,261 98,336
Total SILS 634,655 664,668 668,998 ​678,531 ​678,480

Context: In recent years, other eBook and eAudiobook services have become available and are now offered by some library systems.  As patrons have more service choices, circulation numbers for this province-wide service may have been affected.

Data available: 2014-present

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.

2018 Loaned to another library system Borrowed from another library system
​Chinook Regional Library 35,339 45,208
Lakeland Library Region 60,338 46,373
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 27,918 4053
Palliser Regional Library 84,300 32,574
Parkland Regional Library 41,213 54,060
Prince Albert Public Library 49,637 18,112
Regina Public Library ​118,335 140,205
​Saskatoon Public Library ​130,893 178,693
​Southeast Regional Library 71,523 64,231
Wapiti Regional Library 53,639 68,311
Wheatland Regional Library 57,191 82,077
Total SILS ​730,326 ​733,869

Data available: 2016-present

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.

2018 Unique Borrowers Items Checked Out Hold Pickups
​Chinook Regional Library 282 3393 732
Lakeland Library Region 740 7868 729
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 249 1736 344
Palliser Regional Library 726 10,249 1573
Parkland Regional Library 417 6280 2280
Prince Albert Public Library 1579 40,041 5246
Regina Public Library 2779 78,944 9519
​Saskatoon Public Library 5590 151,832 25,606
​Southeast Regional Library 743 11,082 2210
Wapiti Regional Library 704 8395 1391
Wheatland Regional Library 607 10,675 3402

Data available: 2016 to present

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