People in Aberdeen are bucking national trends by making more use of their local libraries.
UK-wide figures have shown a steady drop of more than 30% since 1997, but the latest statistics from Aberdeen City Council have revealed that people are still keen to make use of their local learning facilities.
A snapshot from April to June last year shows there were 298,633 “in person” visits to libraries, as opposed to online usage.
That is nearly 40,000 more and more than 15% higher than the corresponding period in the previous year, 2013-14.
The Central Library at Rosemount Viaduct reported an increase of 17.5%, with an overall rise of 14.1% across the other 21 venues in the city.
In total, 17 libraries recorded improved figures, including rises of more than 20% in Dyce, Kincorth, Tillydrone and Torry. The remaining five experienced marginal losses, totalling just fewer than 700 visits.
The six-month total for 2014-15 was 544,762 visits, about 36,500 more than the previous year and the highest six-monthly total since early 2011-12.
Angela Taylor, convener of education and children’s services, welcomed the figures.
She said: “We recently went through a review of library provision across the city. When we did that, we looked at how we can get more people to use the facilities around the city.
“If people are now using the libraries more, that can only be a good thing in terms of the services that we provide and indeed in terms of the knowledge of people living in the city.”