The Cane reigns as Townsville’s most-borrowed book

Gripping mystery The Cane by Maryrose Cuskelly was a hit with Townsville booklovers this year, taking the title as the most-borrowed item in CityLibraries’ physical collection.

The Cane isset during the1970s in a fictional North Queensland sugar town and tells the story of a mother’s desperate search for her missing 16-year-old daughter.

This gripping novel was chosen for Council’s One Title One Townsville initiative this year, with its selection as the book for CityLibraries Townsville’s annual book club helping make it a runaway winner as the most-borrowed item.

For the city’s younger readers Diary of a wimpy kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney took the title as the most-borrowed junior fiction book (borrowed 100 times) while Bluey: Grannies (64) was the most popular children’s picture book in the same period.

Bluey was also the start of CityLibraries Townsville’s most attended program, with 667 attendees at Messy Play in the Park featuring Bluey activities at Queens Gardens on September 19.

Sing 2 took the crown as the most-borrowed DVD, Liane Moriarty’s Apples Never Fall was the top eBook and Lee Childs’ Personal was the most popular eAudio Book.

CityLibraries also has a popular library of things, with the Super Nintendo Classic Mini once again topping the charts after being taken out 25 times this year.

All up the three CityLibraries branches and the mobile library loaned 627,675 physical and digital items during the 11-month period, to 388,375 total visitors.

Community and Cultural Development Committee chairperson Ann-Maree Greaney said the statistics backed up the public’s strong support of Townsville CityLibraries.

“Over 620,000 items have been borrowed this year and that shows the strong connection that our residents have with our fabulous Townsville CityLibraries locations, the library’s collections and our wonderful and knowledgeable staff,” Cr Greaney said.

“Townsville CityLibraries will be open throughout the school holiday period at Aitkenvale and Flinders Street and our Mobile Library will be out and about, including at Riverway, and we are also excited for the new Riverway Library to open early next year.”

For more information on opening hours or to access the huge array of free digital resources, visit Townsville CityLibraries webpage.

Most-borrowed items from Townsville CityLibraries January 1 to November 30

• Adult Fiction – The Cane by Maryrose Cuskelly with 430 loans
• Junior Fiction – Diary of a wimpy kid: Old school by Jeff Kinney with 100 loans
  DVD – Bluey Vol 2. Horsey ride and other stories with 78 loans
• Non fiction – The barefoot investor for families: The only kids’ money guide you’ll ever need by Scott Pape with 6 loans
• Library of things - Super Nintendo Classic Mini with 25 loans

Total loans – 627,675