Carlsbad library reports rise in e‑circulation and new third‑grade library cards after school outreach

Principal Librarian Laura Stenger and Digital Initiatives Intern Logan Montroy presented the Carlsbad City Library’s April reports to the board on May 27.

Stenger highlighted coordinated youth engagement efforts with local schools, including City Stuff tours that brought visiting third‑grade classes to the Georgina Cole Library and other city facilities. "Through these coordinated efforts, circulation staff issued 226 new library cards to visiting third graders in April, which is approximately 29% of all the third graders in the district this year," Stenger said, noting the outreach supports compliance with state bill 321 (Ashby) requiring library access by third grade.

Montroy reported a small increase in digital circulation compared with April 2025: April 2026 electronic circulation was "just above 29,000," up about 1.1% from the prior year. Audiobooks and ebooks account for most digital activity, while OverDrive e‑magazine issues were borrowed 6,183 times in April, a 13.2% year‑over‑year increase. Montroy noted that patrons have access to more than 2,000,000 titles across services such as Hoopla and Kanopy.

Board members praised staff for rising in‑person and electronic usage and asked staff to provide data sources if trustees wanted more detail.

Why it matters: The figures reflect both ongoing digital demand and targeted outreach to ensure young students have library access as local districts implement state expectations.