Whether it's because of a desire for a hardback book, free internet connection or just a quiet place to study, young people are visiting their local libraries.

 In 2023, the American Library Association released a report detailing why Generation Z and millennials are frequenting public libraries and noted that statistics on their attendance are encouraging.

 "Younger generations of people are reading books, buying books and visiting libraries," Rachel Noorda of Portland State University said in the ALA release. "Not only are Gen Z and millennials engaging with books, but they are also engaging with other forms of media. They are gamers, readers, writers and fans who are comfortable with malleability between media categories and forms."

 And in Lexington County, these findings are also applicable.

Lexington County Public Library has 21,695 library cards assigned to locals born in 1997 and after. More specifically, 13,498 of those cards belong to Lexington locals under 18 years old.

 For context, according to the most recent Census data, Lexington County is home to more than 309,500 people and more than 22% of them are under 18 years old. Therefore, over 15% of people under 18 years old in Lexington County hold library cards.

More information on services provided by the Lexington County Public Library can be found at lexcolibrary.com.