The "Top 1000" titles most widely held by Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) member libraries—the intellectual works that have been judged to be worth owning by the "purchase vote" of libraries around the globe. The OCLC web site presents the top books most widely held by libraries, with thematic sublists, sample cover art, "Find in a Library" links, comparisons to other lists, and download files. A key to entries is available.
The list is derived from WorldCat, a library catalog of items held by 53,000 libraries in 96 countries.
OCLC Top 1000
Fun facts about the updated OCLC Top 1000
Because it reflects the decisions of many libraries over many years, the list would not be expected to change much from one year to the next. And, in fact, this year’s list is substantially the same as last year’s. What changes there are in individual rankings are due as much to continuing refinements in the list-building methodology as to changes in the system-wide collection actually held by libraries.
How do libraries choose?
Deciding what items to add to a library collection is part of what librarians call collection development. Libraries have written collection-development policies, which are based on the mission and goals of the library, the needs and requests of the community it serves, and the level of resources the library has to work with. Libraries also rely heavily on book reviews. A decision to purchase a single item is rarely made in isolation.
What does this list say about libraries?
Libraries are rich, deep, resources for preserving cultural heritage and indispensable resources for the communities they serve. By and large the list reflects true classics and canonical works of western culture. The list also shows the extent that libraries strive to meet the needs of their readers, by offering books in high demand any given year. The list contains classic works such as the Bible, utilitarian works such as the U.S. Census and also popular works such as Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation.
How the list was made:
WorldCat + FRBR + manual intervention + holdings + sorting
In a nutshell: we made a master list of all the items held by libraries around the globe. We tweaked it to bring together different printings and editions and translations, and then we counted the number of libraries that own each title. We ranked the titles in descending order by the number of items held by libraries. Then we provided some additional categories to create sublists of fiction, drama, children’s works, and so forth.
Top Children’s Books Held By Libraries
The following is the list of children’s books found in the OCLC Top 1000:
Rank | Title – Author |
|
Biblio graphic Records | Rank on Complete List | |
#1 | Mother Goose | 67,663 | 2,036 | 3 | |
#2 | Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain | 42,724 | 1,132 | 7 | |
#3 | Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll | 39,277 | 1,942 | 10 | |
#4 | Night Before Christmas Clement Clarke Moore | 33,343 | 846 | 14 | |
#5 | Garfield Jim Davis | 33,234 | 154 | 15 | |
#6 | Tom Sawyer Mark Twain | 32,233 | 1,100 | 16 | |
#7 | Aesop’s Fables Aesop | 32,232 | 1,461 | 17 | |
#8 | Arabian Nights | 31,728 | 2,414 | 18 | |
#9 | Gulliver’s Travels Jonathan Swift | 29,066 | 1,206 | 20 | |
#10 | Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe | 28,669 | 2,374 | 21 | |
#11 | Christmas Carol Charles Dickens | 27,928 | 1,056 | 24 | |
#12 | Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson | 27,643 | 1,414 | 26 | |
#13 | Fairy Tales Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm | 21,662 | 614 | 50 | |
#14 | Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum | 20,537 | 464 | 54 | |
#15 | Little Women Louisa May Alcott | 19,664 | 761 | 62 | |
#16 | Diary of a Young Girl Anne Frank | 19,541 | 339 | 63 | |
#17 | Peanuts Charles M. Shultz | 18,700 | 365 | 69 | |
#18 | Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame | 17,963 | 446 | 73 | |
#19 | Black Beauty Anna Sewell | 17,134 | 739 | 78 | |
#20 | Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas | 16,935 | 817 | 80 | |
#21 | Kidnapped Robert Louis Stevenson | 16,600 | 551 | 85 | |
#22 | Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Jules Verne | 16,573 | 614 | 86 | |
#23 | Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett | 15,762 | 343 | 98 | |
#24 | Pinocchio Carlo Collodi | 15,170 | 767 | 108 | |
#25 | World Book Encyclopedia | 14,984 | 56 | 114 | |
#26 | Heidi Johanna Spyri | 14,679 | 530 | 118 | |
#27 | Prince and the Pauper Mark Twain | 14,183 | 421 | 125 | |
#28 | Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Mark Twain | 14,099 | 275 | 127 | |
#29 | Anne of Green Gables L. M. Montgomery | 14,032 | 312 | 128 | |
#30 | Child’s Garden of Verses Robert Louis Stevenson | 13,977 | 435 | 130 | |
#31 | Tale of Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter | 1 3,894 |
417 | 132 | |
#32 | Winnie the Pooh A. A. Milne | 13,588 | 308 | 142 | |
#33 | Little Prince Antoine de Saint-Exupéry | 12,963 | 634 | 148 | |
#34 | Fables Jean de La Fontaine | 12,708 | 1,133 | 149 | |
#35 | Velveteen Rabbit Margery Williams Bianco | 12,600 | 171 | 154 | |
#36 | Peter Pan J. M. Barrie | 12,426 | 314 | 161 | |
#37 | Jungle Book Rudyard Kipling | 12,374 | 457 | 166 | |
#38 | Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe C. S. Lewis | 11,561 | 148 | 189 | |
#39 | Peter and the Wolf Sergey Prokofiev | 11,216 | 594 | 196 | |
#40 | White Fang Jack London | 11,174 | 354 | 197 | |
#41 | Charlotte’s Web E. B. White | 10,643 | 139 | 219 | |
#42 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone J. K. Rowling | 10,595 | 141 | 220 | |
#43 | Song of Hiawatha Henry Wadsworth Longfellow | 10,209 | 327 | 243 | |
#44 | Just So Stories Rudyard Kipling | 10,193 | 266 | 245 | |
#45 | Kim Rudyard Kipling | 10,190 | 271 | 246 | |
#46 | Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle | 9,973 | 102 | 257 | |
#47 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling | 9,840 | 117 | 263 | |
#48 | Swiss Family Robinson Johann Wyss | 9,829 | 450 | 265 | |
#49 | Yearling Marjorie Rawlings | 9,360 | 148 | 281 | |
#50 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban J. K. Rowling | 9,083 | 101 | 304 | |
#51 | Captains Courageous Rudyard Kipling | 8,779 | 220 | 324 | |
#52 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J. K. Rowling | 8,482 | 80 | 350 | |
#53 | Magician’s Nephew C. S. Lewis | 8,345 | 106 | 362 | |
#54 | Goodnight Moon Margaret Wise Brown | 8,338 | 80 | 363 | |
#55 | Hatchet Gary Paulsen | 8,279 | 64 | 367 | |
#56 | Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle | 8,195 | 112 | 371 | |
#57 | Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry Mildred D. Taylor | 8,182 | 63 | 373 | |
#58 | Owl and the Pussycat Edward Lear | 8,053 | 91 | 385 | |
#59 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl | 7,976 | 106 | 391 | |
#60 | Bridge to Terabithia Katherine Paterson | 7,956 | 74 | 394 | |
#61 | Madeline Ludwig Bemelmans | 7,938 | 97 | 397 | |
#62 | Through the Looking Glass Lewis Carroll | 7,892 | 417 | 405 | |
#63 | Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak | 7,834 | 106 | 412 | |
#64 | Tuck Everlasting Natalie Babbitt | 7,717 | 100 | 419 | |
#65 | Hans Brinker Mary Mapes Dodge | 7,654 | 262 | 428 | |
#66 | Make Way for Ducklings Robert McCloskey | 7,614 | 102 | 432 | |
#67 | Tree Grows in Brooklyn Betty Smith | 7,555 | 92 | 439 | |
#68 | Horse and his Boy C. S. Lewis | 7,517 | 92 | 442 | |
#69 | Cat in the Hat Dr. Seuss | 7,511 | 91 | 444 | |
#70 | Last Battle C. S. Lewis | 7,504 | 89 | 445 | |
#71 | Voyage of the Dawn Treader C. S. Lewis | 7,494 | 94 | 447 | |
#72 | Little Engine that Could Watty Piper | 7,441 | 88 | 450 | |
#73 | Rip Van Winkle Washington Irving | 7,425 | 277 | 453 | |
#74 | Caps for Sale Esphyr Slobodkina | 7,377 | 101 | 457 | |
#75 | James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl | 7,344 | 94 | 462 | |
#76 | Cheaper by the Dozen Frank B. Gilbreth | 7,312 | 63 | 470 | |
#77 | Red Pony John Steinbeck | 7,309 | 114 | 472 | |
#78 | Anne of Avonlea L. M. Montgomery | 7,287 | 151 | 475 | |
#79 | Casey at the Bat Ernest Lawrence Thayer | 7,225 | 56 | 481 | |
#80 | Caddie Woodlawn Carol Ryrie Brink | 7,147 | 67 | 495 | |
#81 | Stuart Little E. B. White | 7,132 | 82 | 498 | |
#82 | Little House in the Big Woods Laura Ingalls Wilder | 7,107 | 95 | 499 | |
#83 | Number the Stars Lois Lowry | 7,103 | 65 | 500 | |
#84 | Silver Chair C. S. Lewis | 7,095 | 84 | 503 | |
#85 | Little Princess Frances Hodgson Burnett | 7,077 | 179 | 506 | |
#86 | Little House on the Prairie Laura Ingalls Wilder | 7,055 | 97 | 512 | |
#87 | Holes Louis Sachar | 7,048 | 51 | 515 | |
#88 | Outsiders S. E. Hinton | 7,025 | 75 | 519 | |
#89 | Sounder William Howard Armstrong | 7,009 | 64 | 524 | |
#90 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix J. K. Rowling | 6,976 | 57 | 529 | |
#91 | Paul Revere’s Ride Henry Wadsworth Longfellow | 6,969 | 43 | &n bsp; 530 |
|
#92 | Giver Lois Lowry | 6,962 | 68 | 532 | |
#93 | Dear Mr. Henshaw Beverly Cleary | 6,935 | 60 | 534 | |
#94 | From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler E. L. Konigsburg | 6,891 | 77 | 546 | |
#95 | Sarah, Plain and Tall Patricia MacLachlan | 6,860 | 78 | 552 | |
#96 | Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret Judy Blume | 6,845 | 53 | 555 | |
#97 | House at Pooh Corner A. A. Milne | 6,829 | 137 | 559 | |
#98 | Witch of Blackbird Pond Elizabeth George Speare | 6,806 | 60 | 565 | |
#99 | Island of the Blue Dolphins Scott O’Dell | 6,738 | 62 | 572 | |
#100 | Curious George H. A. Rey | 6,713 | 99 | 580 | |
#101 | Legend of Sleepy Hollow Washington Irving | 6,648 | 185 | 590 | |
#102 | Three Little Pigs | 6,603 | 147 | 598 | |
#103 | Julie of the Wolves Jean Craighead George | 6,603 | 82 | 599 | |
#104 | Incredible Journey Sheila Every Burnford | 6,588 | 61 | 603 | |
#105 | Cricket in Times Square George Selden | 6,559 | 77 | 607 | |
#106 | Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin | 6,548 | 98 | 616 | |
#107 | Cinderella Charles Perrault | 6,531 | 155 | 618 | |
#108 | Nightingale Hans Christian Andersen | 6,495 | 123 | 630 | |
#109 | Watership Down Richard Adams | 6,301 | 59 | 663 | |
#110 | Jacob Have I Loved Katherine Paterson | 6,290 | 41 | 666 | |
#111 | Ramona Quimby, Age 8 Beverly Cleary | 6,278 | 65 | 672 | |
#112 | Shiloh Phyllis Reynolds Naylor | 6,276 | 48 | 673 | |
#113 | Sylvester and the Magic Pebble William Steig | 6,211 | 61 | 689 | |
#114 | Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss | 6,162 | 63 | 702 | |
#115 | Story of Ferdinand Munro Leaf | 6,154 |   ; 92 |
704 | |
#116 | Mysterious Island Jules Verne | 6,150 | 217 | 705 | |
#117 | Old Yeller Fred Gipson | 6,132 | 57 | 712 | |
#118 | King of the Wind Marguerite Henry | 6,130 | 66 | 714 | |
#119 | Summer of the Swans Betsy Cromer Byars | 6,130 | 63 | 715 | |
#120 | Prince Caspian the Return to Narnia C. S. Lewis | 6,117 | 39 | 722 | |
#121 | Thumbelina Hans Christian Andersen | 6,108 | 139 | 725 | |
#122 | My Side of the Mountain Jean Craighead George | 6,106 | 53 | 726 | |
#123 | Slave Dancer Paula Fox | 6,093 | 47 | 732 | |
#124 | Story of Mankind Hendrik Willem Van Loon | 6,085 | 91 | 734 | |
#125 | Tale of Benjamin Bunny Beatrix Potter | 6,081 | 149 | 737 | |
#126 | Whipping Boy Sid Fleischman | 5,998 | 56 | 750 | |
#127 | Mary Poppins P. L. Travers | 5,992 |   ; 110 |
753 | |
#128 | Misty of Chincoteague Marguerite Henry | 5,981 | 58 | 756 | |
#129 | Old Mother Hubbard Sarah Catherine Martin | 5,977 | 178 | 758 | |
#130 | On the Banks of Plum Creek Laura Ingalls Wilder | 5,952 | 64 | 772 | |
#131 | Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Judy Blume | 5,948 | 55 | 776 | |
#132 | Chocolate War Robert Cormier | 5,929 | 51 | 784 | |
#133 | Runaway Bunny Margaret Wise Brown | 5,909 | 52 | 788 | |
#134 | Ugly Duckling Hans Christian Andersen | 5,895 | 202 | 793 | |
#135 | Henry Huggins Beverly Cleary | 5,891 | 46 | 795 | |
#136 | Where the Red Fern Grows Wilson Rawls | 5,886 | 33 | 797 | |
#137 | Anne of the Island L. M. Montgomery | 5,877 | 118 | 802 | |
#138 | Indian in the Cupboard Lynne Reid Banks | 5,852 | 50 | 808 | |
#139 | Superfudge Judy Blume | 5,849 | 48 | 809 | |
#140 | Light in the Forest Conrad Richter | 5,838 | 57 | 814 | |
#141 | Where’s Waldo Martin Handford | 5,823 | 71 | 817 | |
#142 | Dicey’s Song Cynthia Voigt | 5,801 | 34 | 822 | |
#143 | Hansel and Gretel | 5,782 | 72 | 825 | |
#144 | Amelia Bedelia Peggy Parish | 5,768 | 49 | 830 | |
#145 | Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh Robert C. O’Brien | 5,750 | 63 | 836 | |
#146 | Fairy Tales Charles Perrault | 5,749 | 393 | 837 | |
#147 | Maniac Magee Jerry Spinelli | 5,723 | 35 | 843 | |
#148 | Steadfast Tin Soldier Hans Christian Andersen | 5,707 | 84 | 847 | |
#149 | Harriet the Spy Louise Fitzhugh | 5,672 | 49 | 856 | |
#150 | Baron Munchausen’s Narrative of His Marvellous Travels | 5,663 | 571 | 859 | |
#151 | Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin | 5,654 | 42 | 860 | |
#152 | Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Judith Viorst | 5,581 | 41 | 887 | |
#153 | Phantom Tollbooth Norton Juster | 5,579 | 65 | 888 | |
#154 | Pippi Longstocking Astrid Lindgren | 5,564 | 113 | 893 | |
#155 | Ramona the Pest Beverly Cleary | 5,547 | 44 | 897 | |
#156 | Polar Express Chris Van Allsburg | 5,512 | 48 | 912 | |
#157 | House that Jack Built | 5,510 | 142 | 913 | |
#158 | Across Five Aprils Irene Hunt | 5,460 | 42 | 931 | |
#159 | Ramona and Her Father Beverly Cleary | 5,455 | 54 | 934 | |
#160 | Matilda Roald Dahl | 5,436 | 68 | 941 | |
#161 | Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears Verna Aardema | 5,386 | 57 | 959 | |
#162 | Emperor’s New Clothes Hans Christian Andersen | 5,370 | 163 | 965 | |
#163 | Read Aloud Handbook Jim Trelease | 5,368 | 11 | 966 | |
#164 | Danny and the Dinosaur Syd Hoff | 5,364 | 56 | 967 | |
#165 | Light in the Attic Shel Silverstein | 5,358 | 28 | 972 | |
#166 | Trumpet of the Swan E. B. White | 5,355 | 50 | 975 | |
#167 | Borrowers Mary Norton | 5,344 | 72 | 978 | |
#168 | Great Gilly Hopkins Katherine Paterson | 5,336 | 57 | 980 | |
#169 | Hero and the Crown Robin McKinley | 5,333 | 23 | 981 | |
#170 | Day No Pigs Would Die Robert Peck | 5,332 | 49 | 983 | |
#171 | Farner Boy Laura Ingalls Wilder | 5,297 | 48 | 994 | |
#172 | Blueberries for Sal Robert McCloskey | 5,296 | 61 | 995 |