Libraries DirectorOn CAmpus Newsletter

Colorado Academy Libraries By the Numbers, 2022-23

Allison Peters Jensen·

A school library is like the Bat Cave: it’s a safe fortress in a chaotic world, 

a source of knowledge, and the lair of a superhero.

–Tom Angleberger, children’s author

In the Colorado Academy Libraries, we aspire to be many things—including, yes, Bat Cave-like. We aim to have something for everyone. We want students to feel welcome and comfortable. We want to teach students how to use our resources for learning and also provide them with sources of enjoyment in the form of our diverse and inclusive book collections. We want our students to feel like the library is one of the many places on campus that equips them with the skills they need to succeed now and in the future. 

To measure how well we meet those aspirations (and how close we’re getting to Bat Cave status) we evaluate the Library Department’s community impact annually. Number crunching is a part of the process. Here’s how the libraries look this year, by the numbers.  

LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARY:

  • Lower School Library total checkouts: 17,697
  • Number of items added to Lower School Library collection this year: 770
  • Holds placed for Lower School library items: 364
  • Number of classes taught by the Lower School Librarians: 702
  • Number of reading planets added to the Lower School Universe of Reading Wall: 359
  • Number of stuffies in the Lower School Library: 65
  • Top five most popular books at the Lower School Library: (August 2022 – May 2023)

1.  Guts by Raina Telgemeier

2.  Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

3.  Spy School: The Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs

4.  Twins by Varian Johnson

5.  Drama by Raina Telgemeier

RAETHER LIBRARY:

  • Raether Library total checkouts: 3,454
  • Number of items added to Raether Library collection this year: 428
  • Holds placed for Raether Library items: 147
  • Number of library instruction classes taught by Raether Librarians in the Middle and Upper Schools: 88
  • Number of elective classes (ceramics and innovations) taught by Raether Librarians: 234
  • Number of students participating in Middle School Book Club: 13
  • Number of students participating in Upper School Book Club: 10
  • Number of students who completed the Middle School Book Bingo challenge: 13
  • Number of teachers who completed the Middle School Book Bingo challenge: 4
  • Number of puzzles completed by students in Raether Library: 15
  • Top five most popular books at Raether Library:  (August 2022 – May 2023)

1.  Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

2.  Apple Crush, Book 2 by Lucy Knisley

3.  Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

4.  Assassination Classroom by Yūsei Matsui

5.  Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

RESEARCH DATABASES (schoolwide):

  • Most searched database school-wide: Britannica School Online with 4,329 search inquiries
  • Busiest month of database use school-wide: January 2023, with 4,436 search inquiries

This summer, we encourage you to don your reading capes and dive into the pages of a great book!