visualizing library data
TRANSCRIPT
Visualizing Library Data
Bohyun Kim
Associate Director for Library Applications/Knowledge Systems
University of Maryland, Baltimore
@bohyunkim
Code4Lib 2016 Conference
Data for ___?
• Data for proving the usage of library collections & services: A vanity dashboard demonstrating the library’s value
OR
• Data for better decision-making: A decision-making tool
Perennial Questions
• What data do we have?
• What does the data tell us?
We Decided to Build a Prototype!
• “LibStats” project
• A small team of two people
• We inventoried all data sources programmable through connecting to either a backend db or a vendor-provided API
• Then we made a lot of charts and graphs. (PHP + Google Charts Library)
• Then we showed them to the senior administration.
Data Sources
• ClickyStats(home-grown reference service tracking system)
• Workshop teaching statistics (home-grown teaching activities tracking system)
• Aleph (ILS)• ILLiad (Interlibrary loan)• EDS (Counter data)• Google Analytics (for our websites)• Youtube (Instrucitonal videos)• LibGuides, LibAnswers, LibCal• And more…
Some Examples
Info Desk Services Stats throughout the week
Library website views throughout the week
People do not use combined search
Library Workshops – Registrants and Sessions
Users from which school signed up for library workshops?
Discovery layer-EDS
E-books users want but we don’t have
Databases that need more user seats
Which school borrows most articles through our ILL service?
Which other library borrows most articles from our library?
On which day of the week do people return most library books?
Is This Useful Enough? Remaining Questions.
• What question did you expect to find answers for using the library data?
• Some observations are useful.
• But better to know what questions you are looking to answer in advance.
• What questions are you looking to answer?