Statistics 2019

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
7,539,427
Holds Placed
1,917,530
Holds filled through SILS
812,337
Unique borrowers of Phys. MaterialsIndividual Customers
154,814
TitlesAll physical and electronic, incl. Library2Go & 3M
1,383,766
Physical Items
3,636,790
E-Items
356,450

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.

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.

​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: 20092010-2014

- Total Active
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
Dec. 31, 2019 362433 267581

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
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
2019 1,383,766 1,027,316 356,450 68,630 16,032

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
2019 3,673,790 3,099,812 229,268 64,074 51,405 124,327 104,355

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.

2019 Unique Borrowers Total Circulation Total Holds Placed
​Chinook Regional Library 5886 268,435 87,983
Lakeland Library Region 7643 346,779 96,020
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 4504 97,790 8646
Palliser Regional Library 8222 352,941 84,764
Parkland Regional Library 7185 300,756 103,621
Prince Albert Public Library 4466 190,411 43,921
Regina Public Library 39,373 2,008,003 393,276
​Saskatoon Public Library 52,782 2,512,035 577,152
​Southeast Regional Library 11,371 448,726 159,918
Wapiti Regional Library 9493 450,875 142,860
Wheatland Regional Library 11,073 560,676 219,369
Total ​154,814 ​7,539,427 ​1,917,530

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.

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.

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
​Chinook Regional Library 35,083 36,133 36,058 38,011 40,075 46,885
Lakeland Library Region 48,975 51,584 49,800 48,763 31,883 38,026
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 1792 1804 2200 2575 3139 3647
Palliser Regional Library 45,597 44,291 42,604 41,800 42,648 45,944
Parkland Regional Library 32,434 34,734 35,509 35,189 35,066 42,036
Prince Albert Public Library N/A N/A N/A N/A 13,111 14,672
Regina Public Library 122,689 126,420 122,295 118,998 122,228 159,358
​Saskatoon Public Library 161,508 167,816 173,138 175,516 180,513 221,817
​Southeast Regional Library 52,135 56,397 57,720 62,316 65,483 74,679
Wapiti Regional Library 56,546 57,925 59,709 ​59,084 45,993 51,792
Wheatland Regional Library 77,893 87,513 89,936 ​96,261 98,336 108,919
Total 634,655 664,668 668,998 ​678,531 ​678,480 ​807,802

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.

2019 Loaned to another library system Borrowed from another library system
​Chinook Regional Library 41,282 53,700
Lakeland Library Region 71,593 49,642
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 34,242 4711
Palliser Regional Library 93,421 35,947
Parkland Regional Library 44,950 59,865
Prince Albert Public Library 50,013 17,788
Provincial Library 4447​ 522
Regina Public Library 137,166​ 148,207
​Saskatoon Public Library 138,796 201,922
​Southeast Regional Library 76,999 74,403
Wapiti Regional Library 56,529 76,555
Wheatland Regional Library 62,899 89,075
Total 812,337 ​812,337

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.

2019 Unique Borrowers Items Checked Out Hold Pickups
​Chinook Regional Library 250 3441 1015
Lakeland Library Region 733 8907 1233
Pahkisimon Nuyeah Library System 235 2240 326
Palliser Regional Library 800 10,318 1975
Parkland Regional Library 405 5964 2049
Prince Albert Public Library 1543 45,561 6327
Regina Public Library 2930 76,498 10,384
​Saskatoon Public Library 4919 134,744 27,008
​Southeast Regional Library 743 10,521 2032
Wapiti Regional Library 708 8132 1456
Wheatland Regional Library 587 10,540 3429

More statistics available here: 2023202220212020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016