The Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System and the Columbia County Library have provided records of this past year’s most heavily circulated books.
Richmond County readers checked out more books for adult audiences, particularly in the mystery and thriller genres, while Columbia County readers seemed to be primarily interested in children’s and preteen’s books.
Columbia County’s list is flooded with titles by Jeff Kinney, author of the preteen book series, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” which has been continually publishing new books for over a decade.
Augusta-Richmond’s most popular books were mostly contemporary; all books that made the list were published in 2023 or 2024, save for Dr. Suess’s “Green Eggs and Ham” which was released in 1960.
Both library’s readers were eager to check out “The Women” by Kristin Hannah, a newly released historical fiction that follows a young woman who serves in the United States Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War.
“The Women,” which comes close to the top of both lists, circulated a staggering 1,111 times at the Augusta-Richmond library and 143 times at Columbia County.
Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System’s top ten books of 2024
- “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer” by Jeff Kinney – checked out 1,114 times
- “The Women” by Kristin Hannah – checked out 1,111 times
- “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss – checked out 917 times
- “The Exchange: After the Firm” by John Grisham – checked out 841 times
- “Crosshairs” by James Patterson – checked out 720 times
- “Pete the Cat Saves Up” by Kim Dean – checked out 700 times
- “The Edge” by David Baldacci – checked out 680 times
- “The Secret” by Lee Child – checked out 621 times
- “Swan Song” by Elin Hilderbrand – checked out 590 times
- “The Ghost Orchid” by Jonathan Kellerman – checked out 529 times
Columbia County Library’s top ten books of 2024
- “Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas” by Dav Pilkey – checked out 146 times
- “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney – checked out 146 times
- “The Women” by Kristin Hannah – checked out 143 times
- “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball” by Jeff Kinney – checked out 139 times
- “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer” by Jeff Kinney – checked out 136 times
- “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End” by Jeff Kinney – checked out 135 times
- “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck” by Jeff Kinney – checked out 129 times
- “Dog Man” by Dav Pilkey – checked out 128 times
- “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” by Jeff Kinney – checked out 128 times
- “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling – checked out 127 times
