"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.

 

0974 books out of 1563 items checked out at 11:00, 11.15.2017

[1563] Total items checked out [0354] Dewey (non-fiction) Books [0620] Non-Dewey (fiction) Books
[0974] Total Books [0535] Media (dvd, cd, etc.) [0003] 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


  41   [741] Drawing + drawings
  32   [641] Food + drink
  8   [891] East Indo-European + Celtic
  7   [745] Decorative arts
  7   [746] Textile arts
  7   [613] Promotion of health
  7   [629] Other branches of engineering
  6   [616] Diseases
  6   [658] General management
  5   [398] Folklore
  5   [332] Financial economics
  5   [914] Europe
  5   [599] Mammalia (Mammals)
  5   [895] Literatures of East + Southeast Asia
  5   [940] General history of Europe
  4   [813] Fiction
  4   [158] Applied psychology
  4   [363] Other social problems + services
  4   [811] Poetry
  4   [294] Religions of Indic origin

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