"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.

 

2998 books out of 4641 items checked out at 15:00, 11.12.2017

[4641] Total items checked out [1221] Dewey (non-fiction) Books [1777] Non-Dewey (fiction) Books
[2998] Total Books [1556] Media (dvd, cd, etc.) [0007] 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


  308   [741] Drawing + drawings
  80   [641] Food + drink
  32   [398] Folklore
  22   [613] Promotion of health
  20   [636] Animal husbandry
  18   [158] Applied psychology
  16   [362] Social welfare problems + services
  16   [746] Textile arts
  14   [616] Diseases
  14   [305] Social groups
  14   [646] Sewing, clothing, personal living
  13   [917] North America
  13   [914] Europe
  12   [973] General history of North America United States
  12   [523] Specific celestial bodies + phenomena
  12   [745] Decorative arts
  12   [591] Zoology
  11   [513] Arithmetic
  11   [306] Culture + institutions
  10   [595] Other invertebrates

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