Ruttley, whose office is in the same building, said the Brisbane Square Library had outperformed, attracting both city workers on their lunch break and international students and tourists.

“People can sit in a chair for hours every day, working on their laptop or reading a book or newspaper and looking out at the river,” she said.

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She said many did not appreciate the breadth of services offered at Brisbane’s 33 suburban libraries, from early reading programs for babies and toddlers to author talks and technology courses to a home delivery service.

“We talk about libraries as that third space … you can come alone, you can come with your friends, you can come with your family, it really doesn’t matter,” she said.

“You don’t have to buy anything, you don’t have to drink coffee – you can sit in the library all day and interact with people, get out of the house and learn new things, and it’s all free.”

The numbers, which demonstrate Dalton’s popularity with readers, come at a busy time for the local author.

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After the Netflix adaptation of his debut novel Boy swallows universe won five Logies, he also confirmed that he is working on a TV series adaptation of Lola in the mirror.

Dalton and his typewriter will return to King George Square on 6 September as part of the Brisbane Festival alongside 20 emerging writers, followed by an exhibition at the Museum of Brisbane.