Corona Public Library showcases youth collections growth and circulation success

The Library Board of Trustees meeting held on February 25, 2025, in Corona City focused on the impressive growth and development of the Corona Public Library's youth collections. The meeting highlighted the library's commitment to fostering literacy among children and teens, showcasing significant statistics and future plans for enhancing these collections.

The library currently boasts a total of 67,373 physical items, with youth collections—comprising children's and teen books—making up 66.7% of this total. Specifically, there are 41,313 children's books and 3,593 teen books. This achievement translates to over one book per child in the community, as recent census data estimates 37,800 children and teens residing in Corona. The library's total circulation reached 295,231, with children's collections accounting for 77% of that figure.

The children's collection is diverse, featuring picture books, nonfiction, chapter books, and early readers, along with a selection of world languages. Notably, the Spanish collection supports local dual language immersion programs and has seen a circulation increase of over 1,000 this year. The library has also expanded its graphic novels and early readers sections, reflecting community interests and demands.

The meeting also addressed the teen collections, which include nearly 3,600 physical items, predominantly hardcovers. The popularity of manga has surged, making up nearly a quarter of the teen collection. Circulation for teen books has increased by 13% this year, with peak checkouts occurring during the summer reading program.

Looking ahead, the library plans to enhance its Mandarin language collection and create more shelf space for graphic novels and manga. The board expressed a commitment to maintaining a responsive and engaging collection that meets the evolving needs of the community's youth.

Overall, the meeting underscored the library's dedication to supporting literacy and learning among children and teens in Corona, with ongoing efforts to adapt and grow its collections in line with community interests.