"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.

 

0906 books out of 1147 items checked out at 11:00, 08.21.2026

[1147] Total items checked out [0221] Dewey (non-fiction) Books [0685] Non-Dewey (fiction) Books
[0906] Total Books [0163] Media (dvd, cd, etc.) [0010] 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


  26   [641] Food + drink
  16   [741] Drawing + drawings
  10   [796] Athletic + outdoor sports + games
  7   [914] Europe
  6   [616] Diseases
  6   [158] Applied psychology
  5   [306] Culture + institutions
  5   [597] Cold-blooded vertebrates Fishes
  4   [332] Financial economics
  4   [507] Education, research, related topics
  4   [811] Poetry
  4   [613] Promotion of health
  3   [303] Social processes
  3   [940] General history of Europe
  3   [746] Textile arts
  3   [791] Public performances
  3   [612] Human physiology
  3   [598] Aves (Birds)
  3   [577] General nature of life
  3   [567] Fossil cold-blooded vertebrates

Hourly Histogram of Circulation Activities

View a Previous Date | 08.17 | 08.18 | 08.19 | 08.20 | 08.21 |

George Legrady, with Andreas Schlegel and August Black. This active webpage has been operational since October 2005