According to the New York Times reported on January 13, the New York Public Library System, the largest library system in the United States, has analyzed data to determine the ten books that have been borrowed the most in history.
《雪天》（The Snowy Day）
Perhaps not surprisingly, more than half of them are books aimed at children or young readers. At number one was Ezra Jack Keats' picture book The Snowy Day. It tells the story of an African-American boy who was borrowed 485583 times. This was followed by Dr. Seuss. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat was borrowed 469,650 times.
The Cat in the Hat
《野兽园》（Where the Wild Things Are）
Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" (borrowed 436016 times), E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" (337948 times), J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer 's Stone (borrowed 231022 times) and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar (borrowed 189,550 times) also made it into the top ten.
Charlotte's Web
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Librarians and analysts spent more than 6 months analyzing hundreds of books to put together the list. They considered all book formats, including e-books and foreign language versions.
Because the New York Public Library's central circulation system is only a few decades old, the team used recent circulation data, best-seller lists, archives of the National Book Awards and Newbery Medals, and the library's best books to determine which books are most loved by readers.
"Our idea is to look at what's prevalent in the world," said Andrew Medlar, who runs the new York Public Library's book buying business, "and our starting point is people's love of books and reading, not just numbers." ”
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Books that have been in circulation for longer periods of time have a clear advantage in this statistic because they have more time for people to borrow. "It's incredible in my opinion that Harry Potter is in the top ten." Medela said, because the book was published 20 years ago. The oldest book on the list, How to Win Friends and Influence People, was published in 1936, but it was only one place higher than Harry Potter.
Goodnight Moon
The list also includes an honorable mention: Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon.
"We know this book is very popular and a lot of people borrow it." Medela said. But given the tastes of Anne Carroll Moore, the library's children's book administrator at the time of the book's release (1947), Good Night, Moon did not enter the collection until 25 years after its publication. The other books on the list were added to the collection in the year of publication.
Medela said the list is the beginning of the 125th anniversary of the New York Public Library. The commemoration includes public events, the reopening of the Midtown Circulation Center Library in Manhattan, and special edition subway and library cards inspired by Snowy Days.
He encouraged readers to continue voting with their library cards. "New Yorkers created this list, and we just counted it." He said.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Here are the top ten books in the history of the New York Public Library that have been borrowed the most:
1. The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats, was borrowed 485583 times
2. "The Cat in The Hat" by Dr. S. Seuss) and was borrowed 469,650 times
3. "1984", by George Orwell, was borrowed 441,770 times
4. Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak, was borrowed 436016 times
5. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, was borrowed 422912 times
6. Charlotte's Web, E.B..B White White), was borrowed 337948 times
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, borrowed 316,404 times
8. How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie, was borrowed 284524 times
9. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling Rowling) and was borrowed 231022 times
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, was borrowed 189,550 times