In many ways, it was a tough year for books: Studies showed high school seniors’ reading scores are down, kids’ shrinking attention to books and drops in the percentage of Americans who read for fun.

In Baltimore, another story is being written.

Since 2015, borrowing at the Enoch Pratt Free Library has steadily increased, culminating in a recording-smashing 2.4 million volumes loaned out according to the most recent available data. Pratt staffers say more library cards are in use, and more books are being loaned — from paperbacks and hardcovers to e-books and audiobooks.

The Pratt’s success story was buried deep in a Baltimore tome: the latest Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, a trove of city spending data. But the numbers are no surprise to staff librarians in the aptly nicknamed “City That Reads,” where libraries often function at the heart of neighborhoods.

They pointed to a suite of modest changes implemented over the last decade that have helped the Pratt develop a closer relationship with the community — and readers to books.

“A lot of libraries across the country, they are seeing increases in e-books — which, we are too, through the roof,“ said Michael Knowlton Johnson, chief of collections and access services at the Pratt library system.

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But many of those places, Johnson said, are also seeing less use of the physical collections — the paperbacks and hardcovers — while the Pratt has witnessed the opposite. “Which I’m super, super proud of,” Johnson said.

There’s no one reason why loans have surged, Johnson said, but like every good librarian, he has a few ideas filed away for reference. He pointed to branch renovations, investment in digital books and the system’s increased use of analytics as keys to the system’s borrowing growth.

Knowing what people are reading and predicting what they might gravitate toward has helped the Pratt stock up on popular titles, order books in more languages and curate more titles that suit modern tastes.

One example, Johnson said, is the spike in graphic novels’ popularity, which have become overwhelming favorites among young readers. Pratt branches have started showcasing them loudly and proudly — sometimes with their own table and wall displays.

And it’s not just the books, Johnson added: Pratt programming, connections to social services and kid-friendly activities have helped bring more people through the doors.

The Urban Libraries Council, a research and policy think tank that advocates for public libraries, recognized the Pratt in a December 2025 report for engaging young people who are disconnected from school or employment. It credited the system’s Earl Teen Center that serves as many as 40 teens a day with programs including Anime Club, sneaker design, poetry writing and therapeutic art.

In tough economic times, libraries provide a no-cost outlet — offering everything from reading materials to social connection, said Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association.

Through history, libraries have been designed to serve the whole public, Helmick said, regardless of class or social strata.

“That social contract allows you to explore the world quite economically and equitably,” said Helmick, a librarian in Iowa City.

And in a world full of distractions and misinformation, Helmick said the library offers a premium commodity: “Content in context.”

In Iowa City, Helmick said, the library has beefed up its in-person event offerings — lectures and art classes, for example — and has added more materials to its collection, such as pickleball equipment and ukuleles.

Helmick, who has visited the Pratt, said the system has expertly marketed the breadth of free services available to card holders — and it’s paying off.

Baltimore spent less on its library system during the 2024 tax year compared to the 2023 tax year, the city’s budget audit shows. But Johnson, the collections chief, said the Pratt has made up the difference in other ways, including through private donations. The system’s collection has grown from 2.3 million volumes in 2015 to 2.5 million in 2024, the data shows.

That’s happened as books and e-books have grown more expensive.

Pratt librarians said they’re learning to be more creative in how they advertise their services.

Kelly Burden, a children’s librarian at the Southeast Anchor branch in Highlandtown, grew up regarding the library as a “second home.” Now, she’s trying to curate that same experience for Baltimore’s littlest card holders.

Pratt programs, such as Summer Break Baltimore, which gives out free books to take home, have helped engage more young readers, Burden said. She especially likes the “Read to Reef” program, which provides free tickets to the National Aquarium to those who finish five aquatic-themed books. It’s something she’s seen the whole family get behind.

But Burden said the southeast branch’s most effective tool is its increased sense of inclusivity — providing more materials in Spanish, participating in community events and offering free meeting space to those who need it.

“It’s a space to feel safe,” Burden said about the library. “We’re a very welcoming community.”