In 2018, there were a total of 2,993 public libraries in the Nordic countries, except Iceland. At the same time, the number of public libraries has been steadily declining since 2015. So is the number of physical loans at the public libraries, according to a new report from Cultural Analysis Norden, which was presented on Tuesday.

Sweden's public library is getting fewer

According to the report, which was produced on behalf of the Nordic Culture Ministers, Sweden accounts for the largest reduction, where the number of public libraries has decreased from 1,145 in 2015, to 1,109 2018. In second place, Finland comes with a reduction of a total of 29 public libraries. At the same time, Finland and Sweden have the largest physical media stocks, around 34 million titles and media.

Most public libraries per inhabitant have Åland, Denmark has the least.

Less and less borrow books

The number of physical loans also decreased by 16 percent between 2010 and 2018 in Denmark, Finland, Åland, Norway and Sweden. This despite the increase in population. The largest decrease is seen in Denmark, where the amount of loans decreased by 35 percent. Finns and Ålanders borrowed most in 2018.

In the report, Cultural Analysis Norden also points to the importance of the Nordic countries for national statistics on the development of public libraries, and that it is coordinated. The statistics that now differ between different countries, and in some cases are missing relevant statistics, including in Iceland's case.