Every once in a blue moon a book will be so popular that it will spend almost the whole year checked out of Townsville CityLibraries.
This year Lee Child's Blue Moon was borrowed 154 times between January 1 and November 30, making it the most-borrowed item in CityLibraries' physical collection.
The most-borrowed junior fiction item was The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney, racking up 87 loans in the same period.
Meanwhile the ever-popular Bluey Vol 2: Horsey ride and other stories was the most-borrowed DVD with 78 loans and Sand Talk: how Indigenous thinking can save the world by Tyson Yunkaporta was the most-borrowed non-fiction book with 80 loans.
CityLibraries also runs a popular library of things, which loaned out its Super Nintendo Classic Mini 28 times this year.
All up the three CityLibraries branches and the mobile library borrowed out 658,926 items during the 11-month period.
Community and Cultural Development Committee chairperson Ann-Maree Greaney said the statistics backed up the public's strong support of Townsville CityLibraries.
"More than 650,000 items have been borrowed this year, which is an extraordinary number and one that we are very proud of," Cr Greaney said.
"Having free and reliable access to books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, music and the internet is important for Townsville locals to learn, explore, grow and develop.
"Libraries are so much more than most people think – they are places for communities to come together, for children to learn essential skills, for teenagers to relax, for jobseekers to write resumes and for curious minds to see how they can push themselves further."
Townsville CityLibraries will be open throughout the school holiday period at Aitkenvale, Thuringowa and Flinders St.
