In 2022, digital book lending grew significantly due to innovations that high-performing public libraries, schools and other institutions used to serve their readers. These efforts resulted in record circulation of digital books, with ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and comic books each greatly contributing to year-over-year growth with OverDrive. 
 
During the year, readers borrowed 555 million ebooks, audiobooks, digital magazines, comics and other digital titles, a 10 percent increase over 2021. This record circulation led to another milestone: Readers have checked out a total of 3 billion digital books from public libraries, schools and academic libraries in the OverDrive network since the first ebook checkout in 2003.  

2022 digital book lending records from the OverDrive global network: 

• Total digital checkouts from libraries and schools: 555 million (+10% over 2021) 

• Libby app checkouts grew 30 percent, and millions more readers installed the app (+42%) 
• Ebooks borrowed: 331 million (+4%) 
• Audiobooks borrowed: 191 million (+17%) 
• Magazines borrowed: 32 million (+38%) 
• Comics and graphic novels: 33 million (+18%) 

• Ebook and audiobook holds/wait listed: 214 million (+13%) 
• Public library systems achieving more than 1 million digital book checkouts: 129 public library systems in seven countries (+7%) 
• Top titles globally in 2022 (see list of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines) 

Top titles in New Zealand in 2022:  

• 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest 
• The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake  
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson  
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig  
• Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty 

New Zealand’s digital book lending amongst the highest 
 
New Zealand libraries had more than 6 million checkouts in 2022, landing a spot among the top 5 countries in the world with the highest number of digital checkouts in the OverDrive network. In 2022, New Zealand libraries also participated in the first-ever Together We Read New Zealand countrywide book club, which featured local author Nikki Crutchley’s novel, To the Sea.   
 
“It's not a surprise to me that New Zealand libraries are among the largest digital lending users in the world.” said Malcolm O’Brien, OverDrive’s Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand. “That’s because they are continuously innovating and aiming to provide their patrons with a tremendous variety of titles and options, and the patron activity really reflects that effort.”  
 
Libraries themselves were the biggest drivers for record growth in digital usage. In addition, OverDrive continued its advocacy work to provide fair, flexible and reasonable content access models. These included offering more subscription plans for simultaneous access for ebooks, audiobooks and “all-in” packages for comic books and graphic novels.  
 
OverDrive grew its catalog with the addition of more than 1 million new digital titles and 73 new content partners. Plus, more than 4,000 magazines titles are available as part of the all-in package for public libraries, including New Scientist, The New Yorker, HELLO! magazine and more.  
 
“Our goal is to get more books in the hands of people everywhere and I’m proud to see that our partnerships with libraries all over the world continue to help us achieve that goal,” said O’Brien.  
 
Data was reported by OverDrive, the leading digital reading platform for 88,000 libraries and schools in 109 countries worldwide, and creator of the award-winning Libby and Sora reading apps. 
 

Have you ever wondered how you can get involved with IFLA and how it all works? Well now is the time to find out because it is IFLA election season.

Elections only happen once every two years so this is your chance to be nominated to be on a committee or group – there are more than 800 positions up for grabs! Find out more by reading the call for nominations announcement and the IFLA Election guide.

One of the benefits of LIANZA’s membership of IFLA is the possibility to nominate candidates for the many different volunteer groups IFLA has, from its governing board to its expert committees.

You might want to consider seeking nomination as a member of one of the 40+ IFLA Professional Section Standing Committees or self-nominate for an IFLA Special Interest Group.

If you want to be considered for nomination to one of the above professional sections, please read the IFLA instructions about the requirements for the nomination to a professional section and complete the nominee form.

Please advise LIANZA executive director Ana Pickering by email if you wish LIANZA to nominate you for one of the professional sections listed above ana@lianza.org.nz

If you are interested in standing for another section committee, you could be nominated by another IFLA member in New Zealand – see the list below.

If you have any questions about the election process, please contact elections@ifla.org. 

Nominations close February 24, 2023.

 IFLA Special Interest Groups Nominations
You can also self-nominate for one of  12 IFLA special interest group committees. 
Fill in the online self-nomination form by February 24, 2023

Get Involved with IFLA
Other things you can do to get involved include:

• sign up to a mailing list in an area that interests you.
  IFLA has a mailing list for everyone with everything from Artificial Intelligence to Marketing and Cataloguing.
• check out the events calendar and join a webinar.

 
Who else is involved?
New Zealanders who are currently active in IFLA in various roles include:

Professional Council - Te Paea Paringatai
FAIFE Advisory Committee - Winston Roberts
Indigenous Matters Section - Jacinta Beckwith
Indigenous Matters Section - Cellia Joe Olsen
Library Buildings and Equipment Section - Kat Cuttriss
Library Services to Multicultural Populations Section - Lis Marrow
Literacy and Reading Section - Elizabeth Jones
National Libraries Section - Winston Roberts
FAIFE Section - Winston Roberts
News Media Section - Amy Joseph
Asia Oceania Regional Division - Winston Roberts
Academic and Research Libraries Section - Marisa King

Important Dates
Nominations close: February 24, 2023
Elections open: March 13, 2023
Elections close: April 12, 2023
Election results announced: May 1, 2023

LIANZA Connect is an online platform that allows people from library and information services to engage with each other. Set up in mid-2022 it has been open to LIANZA members only. From 2023 LIANZA is opening this platform up to the wider library and information sector.

LIANZA Connect is an important tool to help you initiate and join professional discussions, answer or ask questions, connect with others in the sector, and receive or share news and resources.

You’ll be able to connect to many of your colleagues who share your challenges, uncertainties, and successes in libraries and information services throughout the country. We hope you will find it to be a place where you can ask for advice, share your experiences, share resources, and build relationships.

It’s built on the same platform used by other associations such as the American Library Association (ALA) and Record and Information Professionals Australasia (RIMPA). 

Once you’ve joined, you’ll get alerts in your email based on the communities you join.

We hope you will join us on the platform.

You can:

• Set up your profile by going to the headshot in the top right of the browser next to search or clicking the COMPLETE MY PROFILE in the quick links on the right of the home page.
• Use the DIRECTORY or click CONNECT in response to a post to search for your peers and send a contact request. If you put % into the first name, you will get a complete list of people.
• Join a community by going into COMMUNITIES on the browser, go into suggested communities and select the ones you want.
• Post a message or question to your peers, go to PARTICIPATE on the browser and then post a message by following the instructions.
• Or join the latest discussions and reply to a post.
• ​​Go to the FAQs link on the home page or email us if you still have questions.​

CHANGING ALERTS
​
To change how often you get community alerts in your emails, go into your profile and click on My Account.  You can into community notifications and change how often you get community alerts or into email preferences to get emails or not.

​DOWNLOADING THE LIANZA CONNECT MOBILE APP

• On your mobile device, go to your platform's App Store (Google Play Store or Apple App Store).
• Search for Connected Community.
• Download the app.
• See Mobile App - Log In to learn how to log in to your Higher Logic Thrive Community (Thrive Community) via the app.
• It will ask you which directory you want to join - put in lianza.connectedcommunity.org and sign in 

Below is a support article on how to download the app and find it in the app store or Google play store.
​
https://support.higherlogic.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405407454740-Mobile-App-Download-the-Connected-Community-App

And here you will find the instructions on how to access your specific community.
https://support.higherlogic.com/hc/en-us/articles/4402932738964-Mobile-App-Log-In

The Collection Care Company Ltd and Heritage Collections Care Consultancy are offering a series of training workshops on emergency management for museums, libraries and archives in the Auckland area. 

All heritage organisations and professionals should be competent and capable to respond to and recover from emergencies affecting their people and collections. 
 
Courses are held in person to allow maximum discussion and collaboration between participants and to provide for hands-on practical sessions. The courses are designed to complement one another to provide a thorough understanding of emergency management from readiness to recovery. However, courses can be taken individually to suit your training needs. 

Course:

• Emergency Management for Heritage Collections: 16 February, 11 September
• Introduction to Salvage for Heritage Collections: 13 March, 17 October
• Salvage Practice for Heritage Collections: 27 April, 16 November
• Business Continuity for Heritage Collections: 24 May , 4 December

Who is this for
These courses are suitable for all members of staff who have responsibility for emergency preparedness and response in their institutions. This is normally staff with roles in the following areas of operation: conservation, collections management, curatorial, estates / facilities, finance, security, health and safety, human resources, executive.

How to book: You can find out more information about course content and how to book through the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/emergency-management-training-for-heritage-1540559
 A discount is offered for multiple course bookings. 
 
Venue: Devonport Community House, Devonport, Auckland 0624.

Trainers:

Lauren Campbell has been working at Dunedin Public Libraries for over five years and loves her work.

​As a Dunedin local, it took working overseas for a few years and coming home to really appreciate what a great city Dunedin is. She has fond memories of visiting the Dunedin Public Library and their book buses growing up and feels fortunate to be working there now.
 
A year into working at the library, she decided to start her library and information studies diploma at Open Polytechnic Te Pūkenga. The support that staff receive at Dunedin Public Libraries for professional development played a big part in her decision to become qualified.
 

Can you tell us about the qualification you have completed?
 
I completed the New Zealand Diploma in Library and Information Studies (Level 5) at the start of 2022. This study has given me a richer understanding of the positive impact libraries have on people’s lives, and the importance of meaningful access for everyone, as inclusivity and diversity, need to be at the heart of the spaces we create and the services we provide. Public libraries are also crucial when it comes to building digital literacy and ensuring everyone has access to digital resources in our ever-changing technological landscape. These challenges were themes throughout my Open Polytechnic papers, and this insight has influenced my work and given me an appreciation of my frontline role, and the impact you can make in even the smallest interactions with patrons.
 
What are your plans for the future?
 
What I love about working at such a big public library, is that there are so many different and interesting roles. Once you start talking to colleagues who have been with Dunedin Public Libraries for a while, you realise they’ve worked across many departments in a variety of roles, all of which have played an important part in making the library wonderful and accessible to everyone in our community. That’s what I love about the library sector, there are just so many meaningful avenues you can take!
 
Do you have a view on how new graduates can be supported by the sector? 
 
I was very fortunate to work at Dunedin Public Libraries while studying. Finding ways to help new graduates get their foot in the door is so important, as my study took on a new meaning when I was able to put what I was learning into practice.  The Open Polytechnic already does a great job of making those studying aware of LIANZA and the resources they offer. There was even a forum advertising library jobs to students on the Open Polytechnic platform. Initiatives like this, are a great way to connect students with the sector they are studying.
 
THE LIANZA AWARD
The LIANZA Prize was established in 1982 as the NZLIA prize and renamed in 1999. It commemorates the establishment in 1942 of the Association’s certificate course, the forerunner for many years of the New Zealand Library Studies Certificate, and the long-standing interest of LIANZA in the students of those courses. It has been offered in recent years to Open Polytechnic students completing Level 5 or 6 library diplomas and was renamed the LIANZA Award in 2019.  The award is awarded to a student who is judged by their institution to have the highest overall academic achievement in either the Level 5 (NZ3466 or OP5205) or the Level 6 (OP6208) diplomas. The LIANZA Award is for one year of LIANZA student membership or LIANZA professional registration.