"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.

 

3184 books out of 4851 items checked out at 16:00, 11.12.2017

[4851] Total items checked out [1311] Dewey (non-fiction) Books [1873] Non-Dewey (fiction) Books
[3184] Total Books [1582] Media (dvd, cd, etc.) [0020] 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


  295   [741] Drawing + drawings
  110   [641] Food + drink
  27   [917] North America
  27   [398] Folklore
  24   [158] Applied psychology
  21   [658] General management
  20   [523] Specific celestial bodies + phenomena
  19   [796] Athletic + outdoor sports + games
  17   [629] Other branches of engineering
  16   [616] Diseases
  16   [599] Mammalia (Mammals)
  16   [636] Animal husbandry
  15   [746] Textile arts
  15   [591] Zoology
  15   [597] Cold-blooded vertebrates Fishes
  14   [914] Europe
  12   [306] Culture + institutions
  12   [332] Financial economics
  12   [973] General history of North America United States
  12   [793] Indoor games + amusements

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