File under 'generational shift.' Gen Z, millennials patronize libraries more than retirees
Blake Tucker grew up visiting the library with his grandparents and holds fond memories of laughing alongside his cousins to "Calvin and Hobbes" comic books every Saturday.
Now 32, Tucker visits the library three to five times a week. His go-to location is the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library, where the staff know Tucker so well they don't even swipe his card anymore.
Tucker isn't alone. He represents the 54% of millennials and Gen Z (ages 12-43) who use a public library on a regular basis — more than their older counterparts, as reported by the American Library Association in 2022.
The statistics are reflected in Springfield, too. More than one-third of the Springfield-Greene County Library District's active patrons were between the ages of 18-39 in October 2023, community relations director Vickie Hicks told the News-Leader. Active patrons are those who have used their library card within the past two years. For reference, folks ages 40-65 made up about 32% of the library's patrons and seniors over 65 made up about 19%.
Increased use in digital services like audiobooks and streaming
There isn't a black and white answer for why Gen Z and millennials are flocking to public libraries but regular visitors, like Tucker, have their theories, with most centered around one word: "Free."
"I would say my millennial and younger Gen Z peers are using the library because while everything in the world continues to get more expensive, the library continues to offer so many resources from books, DVDs, CDs to streaming services like Kanopy and Hoopla for audiobooks completely free," Tucker said. "You truly can’t beat that in times like these."
Kanopy and Hoopla are two of the Springfield-Greene County Library District's free digital services. With a library card, patrons can access a wide variety of movies to stream on Kanopy. Similarly, Hoopla offers movies, television shows, audiobooks, e-books, magazine and movies online. Libby, which provides e-books, audiobooks and magazines, is another popular digital service provided by the library.
Sarah Bean Thompson, a youth services manager at The Library Center, said digital audiobook circulation is "outpacing" the library's physical circulation, especially with younger patrons who enjoy audiobooks.
In 2023, more than 411,000 audiobooks were checked out from the library, including physical audiobooks and audiobook downloads from Hoopla and Libby, Hicks said. This is in comparison to the more than 1.5 million physical books that were checked out across the library branches.
"Recently, I had two different interactions with people when I was out and about where I mentioned I worked at The Library Center and the response was immediately, 'Oh, I use the audiobook apps.' (and) 'I get all my audiobooks from the library,'" Thompson said.
On a national scale, there doesn't appear to be much of a difference between how Gen Z and millennials read e-books compared to physical ones. Both Gen Z and millennials read about one e-book per month, compared to two physical books per month in 2022, as reported by the American Library Association.
Access to hard-to-find materials
At the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library, Tucker is known as the "CD guy," he said.
"For the last 14 years, I have been building my own digital music archive so I don't have to be reliant on streaming services, and most of the titles in my collection have come from the (Springfield-)Greene County Library system," Tucker explained. "Whatever they don't have, I can order from outside libraries across multiple states through either MOBIUS or interlibrary loans."
MOBIUS, also known as the Missouri Bibliographic Information User System, is an interconnected system of libraries across the state, sharing materials, information and services. MOBIUS includes 64 academic libraries, 11 public libraries, four special libraries and the Missouri State University Library. Through the Springfield-Greene County Library District MOBISU website, patrons can access materials from any of these libraries. Through MOBIUS, patrons can request up to 10 items per month.
Similarly, the interlibrary loan service allows patrons to access materials from libraries across the country. Patrons are able to request up to 10 items at a time, as many times as they'd like a month.
Jesse Tyler, 29, said he enjoys using the interlibrary loan service to check out photo art books, which are traditionally expensive and printed in limited numbers. Through the service, Tyler requests photo books from different libraries that he can then pick up at the Park Central Branch Library, near where he works downtown.
The rise of BookTok and Bookstagram
It may not be much of a surprise that social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram are driving forces behind young people talking more about what they are reading. In recent years, subcommunities like BookTok on TikTok and Bookstagram on Instagram have grown in popularity.
In these subcommunities, social media users create profiles dedicated entirely to books and literature, making posts reviewing and discussing their recent reads. Simply Googling "Bookstagram" results in countless how-to articles on getting a successful Bookstagram account started.
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Among Gen Z and millennials, 55% cited social media feeds as where they discovered new books to read, according to a report from the American Library Association.
Riding this social media wave, book stores like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million have dedicated endcaps to "The Most Popular TikTok Books." The Springfield-Greene County Library District has hopped on the social media bandwagon, too.
Last year, Thompson and a fellow library staff member started TikTok Made Me Read It, a monthly book club in which participants read and discuss books that have gained popularity on social media.
Thompson said the two got the idea to start the TikTok-centric book club while chatting with parents who were bringing their children to the library. It seemed like all of the millennial-aged patrons and library staff were talking about "romantasy," the romantic-fantasy genre.
Although the club started out reading and discussing "romantasy," Thompson said they have also read traditional romance, suspense and graphic novels.
On average, about six or seven people attend the monthly meetings. Thompson said the largest meeting was when 15 people showed up to discuss "Fourth Wing" by Rebeca Yarros, an adult fantasy that quickly gained popularity on TikTok last year. The book was even popular with patrons who did not attend the book club meeting. "Fourth Wing" was the library's top audiobook checkout/download in 2023.
The book club meets every fourth Monday of the month at The Library Center.
Programming for all interests
The TikTok Made Me Read It book club is not the only young adult-centered programming the Springfield-Greene County Library District offers.
Katie Hopkins, a planning and development librarian, served as the library district's first adult programming coordinator for six years before transitioning into her current role. She helped establish many of the library's programs that appeal to Gen Z and millennials.
Some of her favorites include Donuts & Death (a now defunct horror book club that met at Hurts Donuts), Oh, The Horror! (an October horror series) and the Winter Reading Challenge, now in its fourth year.
During her time curating adult programming, Hopkins said she enjoyed events at locations different than the library, which she said helps better showcase to the community what the library district has to offer.
"I found in talking — I'm a millennial — to people my age, they were like, 'I want to come in to the library, but I'm intimidated.' The meeting spaces at the library are wonderful, but they're not maybe as comfortable for somebody who just wants to meet new people," Hopkins said.
Tucker said one of his favorite off-site programs hosted by the library is FilmStubs, a free monthly movie screening at the Moxie Cinema. The program is a partnership between the Moxie and the Friends of the Library organization. Following each screening, Reference Associate Zach Hollingshad leads a Q&A discussion about the film.
Through the spring, movies shown through FilmStubs include "Say Anything..." on Feb. 14, "True Stories" on March 13, "The Host" on April 10 and "Being John Malkovich" on May 8. FilmStubs screenings are traditionally held in the larger of the Moxie's two theaters, which holds about 80 people. Thompson said the program frequently fills the theater.
Tucker said another one of his favorite off-site programs is when the library hosts well-known author talks. In 2022, the library hosted Silvia Moreno-Garcia, a novelist with best-sellers like "Mexican Gothic," "Gods of Jade and Shadow," and "Signal to Noise."
More: From the Darkroom: In 1948, Springfield grappled with 'the problem of comic books'
When it comes to designing these young adult programs, Hopkins said she is inspired by what is popular on social media, in pop culture and what other libraries are doing.
"I don't know that we ever said when we set out to do this, 'Hey, we're designing this for millennials and Gen Z,'" Hopkins said. "It just sort of happened organically. We (millennial staffers) were designing programs based on what we would like to go to."
Throughout 2023, the library district hosted 116 different programs in which 3,232 Gen Z and millennial patrons attended, Hicks said.
Creating a third space
In addition to free resources and programming, public libraries also serve as a third space, which is considered a social surrounding separate from home and work.
"The library is one of the last places, if not the last place, where you can just go and exist," Hopkins said. "There's not the expectation that you're going to spend money, there's not the expectation that you're going to be in and out. We're very unique in that we're here to help empower you to do the things you want to do, whether that's read more books, or learn about something, or find a job or access a fax machine."
When are the Springfield-Greene County Library branches open?
The Library Center (4653 S. Campbell Ave.): 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
The Library Station (2535 N. Kansas Expressway): 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Midtown Carnegie Branch Library (397 E. Central St.): 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Park Central Branch Library (128 Park Central Square): 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library (2214 Brentwood Boulevard): 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
How do you sign up for a library card?
Community members interested in applying for a library card can do so in person or online.
To apply online, complete the Library Card Registration on the Springfield-Greene County Library District website at thelibrary.org/about/libcard.cfm. Within seven days of completing the form, email a valid form of identification and proof of current address to sgcl.verify@thelibrary.org or bring these documents to the physical library.
To apply in person, visit one of the library branches to complete a physical application. Make sure to bring a valid form of identification and proof of current address.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Gen Z and millennials utilize public libraries more than older adults
