Arts and Culture

Circulation of Library Items per Capita

Significance

Library availability is essential for ensuring that the population has the proper resources to read and learn.

Core Indicator

• The circulation of items per capita per year demonstrates how easily the population can access libraries in their community and to what extent they are taking advantage of this access.

• Note that the data for circulation per capita are only available for libraries that are a member of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), therefore there are are libraries in some regions that are not included in this data.

Canada’s Major CMAs

• In 2010, Montréal had the lowest circulation of library items among Canada’s major CMAs (6.6 items), while the two CMAs in Alberta had the highest circulation (see following chart).

• Circulation per capita per year in Edmonton was 17.2 and 15.3 in Calgary, followed by Victoria with 15.2 and Vancouver with 13.2.

• The average for all CMAs was 12.0

Number of Library Items Circulated per Capita for Major CMAs, 2010

Source: Canadian Urban Libraries Council, Public Library Statisticshttp://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/2010CanadianPublic_LibraryStatistics.pdf

Edmonton Calgary Victoria Vancouver Halifax Kitchener Hamilton Toronto London Ottawa Kingston Winnipeg Montréal0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

CMA Trends (2000 to 2010)

• Within the last decade, the Internet has revolutionized the way people access information, demanding virtual library resources and negating the need to go to the library.

• Paradoxically, between 2000 and 2010 almost all the the CMAs saw an increase in library circulation (see following chart).

• Kitchener saw the greatest growth (up 3.7 items/capita), followed by Halifax (up 3.0 items).

• The only library with a decrease in circulation was Vancouver (down 1.5 items).

Percent Change in Items Circulated per Capita for Major CMAs, 2000-2010

Source: Canadian Urban Libraries Council, Public Library Statistics.

Kitchener Halifax Calgary Kingston Toronto Montréal Hamilton Victoria London Ottawa Vancouver-2.0

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0