Walk the Wire, How to Be an Antiracist top Alachua County Library District's 2020 checkout lists

Contact: Rachel Cook

Gainesville, Fla. – David Baldacci’s thriller “Walk the Wire” and Ibram X. Kendi’s seminal “How to Be an Antiracist” topped the Alachua County Library District’s 2020 checkout lists.  

In total, library patrons borrowed 800,000-plus items, including hundreds of thousands of picture books, novels, and DVDs using the Library District’s outside services. Patrons listened to more than 305,000 digital audiobooks and swiped through 823,000 eBooks. 

“Despite the challenges posed by 2020, the use of our physical and electronic collections clearly show us that our community continues to rely on their library to support their entertainment needs, and also for informative, timely titles that engage with current political, social and cultural issues,” said Technical Services Manager Paul Lightcap.

Blockbuster memoirs “Educated” by Tara Westover and “Becoming” by former First Lady Michelle Obama continued to fly off the physical and digital shelves. Judging by the continued popularity of Delia Owens’ debut novel, it’s safe to say most patrons know “Where the Crawdads Sing.” Big-name authors John Grisham and Michael Connelly ranked high across checkout lists.

Local readers also saved room on their nightstands and tablets for newer names. National Book award winner Elizabeth Acevedo’s “Clap When You Land” broke into the top Young Adult titles. 2020 Author Series guest Kendi’s “How to Be An Antiracist” topped national bestseller lists as well as our Adult Nonfiction list.

Top movie checkouts mirrored award season favorites – “Little Women,” “1917,” and” Joker.” Music picks reflected generational tastes with James Taylor and Neil Young up top, followed closely by teen star Billie Eilish.

Find more top 10 checkout lists at www.aclib.us/2020checkouts. Lists reflect checkouts across all 12 Alachua County Library District locations from Jan. 1 through Dec. 15, 2020.

Alachua County Library District 2020 Top Checkouts

Adult Fiction

  1. Walk the Wire by David Baldacci
  2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  3. The Guardians by John Grisham
  4. The Dutch House: A Novel by Ann Patchett
  5. The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben
  6. American Dirt: A Novel by Jeanine Cummins
  7. Camino Winds by John Grisham
  8. Fair Warning by Michael Connelly
  9. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
  10. The Night Fire by Michael Connelly

Adult Nonfiction

  1. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
  2. Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
  3. The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson
  4. The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir by John Bolton
  5. A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig
  6. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
  7. Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow
  8. Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth by Rachel Maddow
  9. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
  10. Rage by Bob Woodward

eBooks

  1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  2. The Guardians: A Novel by John Grisham
  3. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
  4. The Giver of Stars: A Novel by Jojo Moyes
  5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
  6. Blue Moon: Jack Reacher Series, Book 24 by Lee Child
  7. Little Fires Everywhere: A Novel by Celeste Ng
  8. The Night Fire: Renee Ballard Series, Book 3 by Michael Connelly
  9. Becoming by Michelle Obama
  10. Walk the Wire: Amos Decker Series, Book 6 by David Baldacci

Movies

  1. Little Women
  2. 1917
  3. Joker
  4. Knives Out
  5. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
  6. Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood
  7. Jumanji: The Next Level
  8. Ford v Ferrari
  9. Bombshell
  10. Terminator: Dark Fate

Albums

  1. American Standard by James Taylor
  2. Colorado by Crazy Horse and Neil Young
  3. Homegrown by Neil Young
  4. Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan
  5. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? By Billie Eilish
  6. dont smile at me by Billie Eilish
  7. Hamilton: Original Broadway Cast Recording
  8. Now That's What I Call Music! 73
  9. 2020 Grammy Nominees
  10. Pick Me Up Off the Floor by Norah Jones
By Rachel on September 17, 2021