28th April 2010

BRIDPORT: Vampires most popular choice amongst libraries' audiobooks

VAMPIRE love saga Twilight dominates a list of top audio and eBooks checked out of Dorset libraries.

Three of the four Twilight titles feature in the top ten of the most checked out titles, coming in at numbers one, two and eight.

The libraries’ new eBooks and audio books service is proving so popular with local people that more than 100 extra titles have now been added to the collection.

Duplicate copies of the most requested titles have also been added to the service, which launched in February, to meet growing demand by Dorset library cardholders.

The top ten most checked out titles to date are:

1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (audio book)

2. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (audio book)

3. Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery (audio book)

4. The Enemy by Lee Child (eBook)

5. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (audio book)

6. Genesis by Karin Slaughter (eBook)

7. Girl Missing by Tess Gerritsen (eBook)

8. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (audio book)

9. 1st To Die by James Patterson (audio book)

10. 2nd Chance by James Patterson (audio book)

Library Service senior manager of reading and learning, Sharon Kirkpatrick, said: “We have received many requests to add more books, so that’s just what we have done.

“Audio and eBooks are proving to be popular with existing members but are also attracting new members to the library service generally and giving people choice.

“We’re finding that more and more library members are going to our website to carry out a wide range of tasks such as checking account details and renewing or requesting books.”

Dorset County Council library cardholders can go online to download eBooks and audio books for free at www.dorsetforyou.com/ebooks

Users need to be library members and have access to an appropriate computer with internet connection in order to take out digital books; all first time users will need to download free software.

The digital library site includes all the information needed to use the service, but library support staff also handle customers’ technical queries or other questions via email or phone.

Dorset County Council library membership is free - local branches and opening times can be found at www.dorset foryou.com/libraries