Library Service Launches Digital Collections and Publishes First Loan Figures

The Library Service of the Velocity Interoperability Network today launched its digital collections. Members may borrow from 41,800 e-book and audiobook titles, read the current and past issues of 140 newspapers and periodicals, consult the licensed reference databases, and read the 1,260 official publications of the Network's departments and offices deposited with the Service at establishment. The collections are available to members from the day their membership number is issued; each member may hold six digital loans at a time.

The Service also published its first statistical release, covering the transition period from 10 August to 5 September 2026, during which the reading rooms and lending collections of member organisations were transferred to the Service under interim arrangements. During that period 61,250 physical loans, 12,470 digital loans, 1,930 reservations and 4,120 renewals were recorded, and the reading rooms received 38,900 visits.

The Service will publish statistics quarterly. The next release, covering the quarter ending 30 September 2026, will be published in October. The full release, including loans by branch and activity by service, is set out on the Statistics page of this site, and a guide to each digital collection on the Digital Collections page.