The sixth Harry Potter novel was the most borrowed book

The JK Rowling novel, the sixth in the Harry Potter series, beat books by crime writers Ian Rankin and Quintin Jardine to secure the top slot.

The other authors to make the Scottish top 10 included James Patterson, Maeve Binchy and Patricia Cornwell.

The figures were released by the Public Lending Right, an organisation which ensures authors get their royalties.

Its statistics showed a change in the public's reading habits over the last decade.

MOST BORROWED BOOKS Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - JK Rowling A Question of Blood - Ian Rankin Fleshmarket Close - Ian Rankin Mary, Mary - James Patterson Stay of Execution - Quintin Jardine Lethal Intent - Quintin Jardine One City - Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh Night of Rain and Stars - Maeve Binchy Honeymoon - James Patterson & Howard Roughan Trace - Patricia Cornwell

Ten years ago romantic novels, and writers like Catherine Cookson, dominated the most-borrowed list.

In more recent years crime and children's writing has come to prominence.

Last year, children's author Jacqueline Wilson was the most borrowed in the UK for the fourth year running.

She was followed by thriller writer James Patterson, romance authors Josephine Cox and Danielle Steel, and Edinburgh-based crime writer Ian Rankin.

Two of his novels were in the Scottish top 10, taking second and third place, while Quintin Jardine also occupied two slots in the list.

Jim Parker, the head of the PLR, said: "The Scottish figures are interesting in that they reflect a trend towards crime fiction and a move away from the romantic stories that once dominated the list.

"There does seem to be a preoccupation with grisly crime which features very strongly in the Scottish list.