Teens and children are borrowing fewer books and other materials from Toronto libraries, an alarming trend that started in 2012 and escalated in the first part of this year.

Chief librarian Jane Pyper’s 2012 report to the library board says that, with figures adjusted to reflect last year’s 11-day strike, overall borrowing of materials, including books, ebooks and DVDs, dropped 1 per cent.

Borrowing by adults dropped a half per cent, but Pyper is most concerned by steeper drops of 7.5 per cent for teens and 1.5 per cent for kids. The bad news has continued into 2013, with borrowing from teen collections plunging by a whopping 14.5 per cent over the same period last year. Borrowing from the kids’ collection dropped 9 per cent.

The dip at the busiest urban library system in the world comes on the heels of a decade of annual borrowing increases averaging 2 to 3 per cent.

Pyper points her finger at January 2012 overdue fine hikes. Fines for teens’ books rose a nickel to 20 cents per day, kids’ fines jumped a dime to 20 cents, while adult fines went from 30 to 40 cents.

Also, fines started to be applied based on the “intellectual level” of borrowed materials, rather than the users’ age. That means that teens borrowing adult books began to be charged adult fines.

New registrations with the library system were also down in 2012, with the biggest drop for teens and kids — a “concerning trend.”

Pyper says such drops threaten the system’s ability to deliver on a key part of its mission to “grow a city of readers by fostering literacy and a love of readers,” improve literacy and help kids discover great stories and books.

“Research indicates that the best way to foster a love of reading is to provide children with choice and variety in the books they read and enjoy,” the report states. “Libraries help families gain access to a wide range of books, but high fines can discourage families from utilizing this opportunity to the full extent.”

Pyper urges the board to direct her staff to “examine options for fines for children and teens” during 2014 budget preparations.

The board will look at the fines, said its chair, Councillor Paul Ainslie.

But Ainslie said his conversations with librarians suggest at least some of the drop is the result of students doing research online, either at home or in a library, rather than checking out non-fiction books.

“It’s the 21st century and if teens are using modern technology maybe we buy less non-fiction and put more money into ebooks and computers in our branches,” said the Scarborough East councillor.

Katherine Palmer, the library system’s director of planning, policy and e-service delivery, cast doubt on Ainslie’s theory. “There’s an element of people using a variety of sources, but that (teen Internet use) is not a brand- new story,” she said.

“We are aware that, at a certain point, a fine rate can have a negative impact on the borrowing of materials,” and choices available to young people are tied to their development as readers and later success in life.

Lisa Heggum, the system’s children and youth advocate, said more digital content, including books, videos and soon magazines, are being made available.

“I don’t know that I would characterize it as competing (with the Internet), that they are abandoning us because we don’t have the content,” Heggum said. “We are building it up.”

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Halifax’s library system, which charges teens and kids fines of 10 cents per day for overdue books, saw almost 12 per cent fewer young adult books slide over the counter in 2011-2012. Figures for other materials were not available.

Kasia Morrison, spokesperson for Halifax Public Libraries, said drooping book demand is being offset by demand for youth programs, with growing attendance at library events aimed at young borrowers.

Vancouver Public Libraries, on the other hand, saw circulation of teen materials jump by 5 per cent last year. Circulation of children’s materials rose by almost 3 per cent.

Vancouver charges patrons aged 14 to 18 overdue fines of 15 cents per day, half the adult rate, but levies no book fines against children.