Québec, October 19, 2026. – In 2024, public libraries in Québec recorded over 25 million visits (+5% from 2023) and 52 million document loans, up slightly by 0.2%. Despite these gains, visits and loans remained below pre-pandemic levels (-11% and -13% compared with the 2015-2019 average).
These results come from the bulletin Les bibliothèques publiques québécoises en 2024 (PDF), published today by the Observatoire de la culture et des communications of the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
Number of public library visits and loans, Québec, 2015-2024
Note
The number of visits is based on the figures reported by independent public libraries and the Grande Bibliothèque.
Source
MMinistère de la Culture et des Communications and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, Enquête annuelle sur les bibliothèques publiques, 2015 to 2024. Compiled by the Observatoire de la culture et des communications of the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
There are public libraries in every region
Nearly 97% of the Québec population has access to the services of a public library. Among people served by a library, 27% have a library card from an independent public library or a library affiliated with the BIBLIO network. The proportion of library card holders varies between regions. While it stands at 34% in Centre‑du‑Québec and 32% in both Capitale‑Nationale and Bas‑Saint‑Laurent, it is below 15% in some regions, including Laval (13%) and Gaspésie–Îles‑de‑la‑Madeleine (12%).
Public libraries offered many cultural and educational activities, participation remained strong
Public libraries offered 88,228 activities in 2024, up 10% from 2023 (80,244) and 1% from the 2015-2019 average (87,395). Nearly 1.6 million people participated in these activities, an increase of 6% from 2023 (1.5 million), but still slightly under the pre-pandemic average (1.7 million).
Revenues and expenditures up
Revenues reported by public libraries rose sharply from $416 million in 2020 to $580 million in 2024, an average annual increase of 9%. Operating expenditures also rose steadily over that period and reached $470 million in 2024, up from $376 million in 2020 (an average annual increase of 6%).
The Institut de la statistique du Québec is the public body responsible for providing reliable, objective statistical information about Québec society. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.