The Hawaii Public Library system hit a major milestone during the pandemic -- through it's digital offerings.
Since 2005, residents could access thousands of books and audiobooks through the library's website. When the pandemic hit, libraries across the state were forced to close -- leading residents to the digital collection.
"It was the library's best kept secret," said Stacey Aldrich, state librarian. "But when the pandemic hit, we significantly expanded our digital collection."
Last week, the library announced one million ebooks were checked out in 2020 -- an accomplishment only achieved by 101 other libraries worldwide.
"We've never searched one million items before. It's the first time we've ever circulated that many," Aldrich said. "I think what it demonstrates is how important access to books was during the pandemic, even if it was digital."