Seeing Library Data: A Prototype Data Visualization Application for Librarians

ABSTRACT

Visualizations can add value to raw library data. Tools that programmatically make such visualizations interactive can further increase the value of these data by giving librarians visual tools to analyze their datasets. To demonstrate these benefits, Kingsborough Community College Library built SeeCollections (http://b7jl.org/seecollections), a Web application that visualizes the libraries’ collections of books and e-books. This article discusses the how SeeCollections gathers data from Kingsborough's discovery layer API (Application Programming Interface) and transforms these data to create visualizations for the Web. SeeCollections is a lightweight, proof-of-concept data application based on a vendor API. API data are often accessible in academic libraries but are frequently underutilized. SeeCollections was built to demonstrate the immediate value of these API data sources to Kingsborough librarians by providing a visual interface to discovery layer data. Keeping in mind the broader literature on data visualization, this article will explore how SeeCollections was built.

KEYWORDS:

• visualization
• academic libraries
• data
• API (application programming interface)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mark Eaton

Mark Eaton is a Reader Services Librarian and Assistant Professor at Kingsborough Community College at the City University of New York. He is responsible for social media at the Kingsborough Library, pursues an ongoing interest in data visualization, and works to advance technology projects that support his colleagues and students.