"Making Visible the Invisible", a data visualization commissioned by the Seattle Central Library, operational since fall 2005


This database receives by the hour all of the checkouts of books, cds, DVDs, and other material that library patrons take out of the library. The data at the library is classified in two separate categories. Non-fiction items receive a Dewey Classfication System coding, explained here: Dewey Decimal Classes. Fictional items are classified in a different way. This visualization features the top 20 most active Dewey categories. Click on each of the categories to get the chronological list of titles checked out during the previous hour.

 

3219 books out of 5300 items checked out at 13:00, 11.12.2017

[5300] Total items checked out [1451] Dewey (non-fiction) Books [1768] Non-Dewey (fiction) Books
[3219] Total Books [1916] Media (dvd, cd, etc.) [0031] Misc

Dewey Decimal Classification Graph

This map highlights current circulating books according to their Dewey classification category in Generalities [0-99]; Philosophy & Psychology[100-199]; Religion [200-299]; Social Science [300-399]; Language [400-499]; Natural Science & Mathematics [500-599]; Technology & Applied Sciences [600-699]; Arts [700-799]; Literature [800-899]; Geography & History [900-999].


     

The top 20 Dewey categories


  318   [741] Drawing + drawings
  129   [641] Food + drink
  41   [551] Geology, hydrology, meteorology
  32   [914] Europe
  29   [613] Promotion of health
  28   [746] Textile arts
  27   [973] General history of North America United States
  26   [616] Diseases
  23   [398] Folklore
  23   [305] Social groups
  22   [917] North America
  20   [158] Applied psychology
  18   [891] East Indo-European + Celtic
  15   [811] Poetry
  15   [796] Athletic + outdoor sports + games
  14   [364] Criminology
  14   [155] Differential + developmental psychology
  12   [919] Other areas
  12   [895] Literatures of East + Southeast Asia
  12   [612] Human physiology

Hourly Histogram of Circulation Activities

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George Legrady, with Andreas Schlegel and August Black. This active webpage has been operational since October 2005