What did Londoners love reading in 2025? As the year winds down, we’re taking a joyful look back at the books and the reading habits that shaped our year.
We’re wrapping things up with London Public Library’s 25 most-borrowed books of 2025: the titles that sparked long hold lists, lively conversations, and plenty of “just one more chapter” moments. These are the books Londoners couldn’t wait to get their hands on, whether in print, ebook, or audiobook form.
You can explore London's most-borrowed books here.
But the story doesn’t stop there. This year also showed just how much Londoners love reading and listening digitally through Libby / OverDrive, from ebooks and audiobooks to magazines enjoyed anytime, anywhere.
A Big Year for Digital Reading (and Listening!)
As of mid-December, 2025, Londoners had checked out an incredible 1,091,600 digital items in 2025 using Libby / OverDrive. That’s over a million moments of reading, learning, dreaming, and relaxing.
Some highlights from the year:
- The average Londoner borrowed 33 items this year using Libby / OverDrive.
- 228,688 digital magazines were read.
- 333,480 audiobooks were checked out.
- That adds up to 3.3 million hours spent listening to stories and ideas!
- 6,337 Londoners used Libby / OverDrive for the first time.
The busiest month? January, which is proof that reading resolutions are alive and well.
When it came to fiction, Londoners showed clear favourites. The most popular genres on Libby this year were:
- Thriller
- Romance
- Mystery
- Suspense
- Humor
More Than Just the Numbers
Of course, top checkouts only tell part of the story. Behind every borrow is a reader discovering a new favourite author, revisiting a beloved series, learning something new, or finding comfort in a familiar voice.
Whether you prefer the feel of a physical book, the convenience of an ebook, or the immersive experience of an audiobook, there are so many ways to read with London Public Library, across genres, formats, and languages.
Watch Checkouts in Real Time!
And here’s a fun one: you can actually watch Libby / OverDrive checkouts happen in real time, using the dashboard here.
Staying in on New Year’s Eve? Join us in watching the dashboard as the clock counts down and Londoners ring in a brand-new borrowing year, one checkout at a time.
Here’s to another year of great reads, shared stories, and a community that truly loves its Library.