UNSW Library Unstacked

A live data visualisation that displayed and interpreted usage of the UNSW Library collection in real-time.

When:

May 2021 - June 2023

 

Where:

Level 2 Main Library
Online exhibition

Partners:

Unstacked (Elisa Lee & Adam Hinshaw)

UNSW Library Unstacked was a live data visualisation that displayed and interpreted usage of the UNSW Library collection in real-time, communicating the scale, breadth and depth of library research activity that is otherwise invisible. The innovative intersection of data, visual communication and library science was a collaboration between UNSW Library and the Unstacked team.

UNSW Library Unstacked ran from May 2021 to June 2023. The live version is no longer hosted. A screen recording of the site is below, along with the original About text.

View the online exhibition.
Read the UNSW Newsroom article.

Video documentation

Original About text

UNSW Library Unstacked displays and interprets usage of the UNSW Library collection in real-time, communicating the scale, breadth and depth of library research activity that is otherwise is invisible. The innovating intersection of data, visual communication and library science is a collaborative between UNSW Library and the Unstacked team led by Elisa Lee.

Each time someone looks at a book, journal or something else online in the Library collection, it is reflected in the visualisation. Unstacked shows the relative level of Library research activity that happens each day by mapping these items to discipline clusters aligned with UNSW faculties, so you can see in more detail how you and others are using your library’s resources.

Technology

The front-end visualisation is an HTML5 application using several open source javascript libraries.

© Elisa Lee and Adam Hinshaw 2020.

Developed in collaboration with the UNSW Library. Developed with a DX Fellowship at the State Library of New South Wales; Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License.

Image gallery

A glass wall in a foyer area, displaying a projection of colourful square graphics and text. The text displays the names of university faculties, such as "Medicine & Health", "Law", and "Engineering". A man walks past the wall.

Unstacked - Projection wall in Main Library foyer

A still image of a computer screen. Six coloured squares are in mid-spin against a white background. Each square contains text on the number of publications viewed per university faculty. Titles of books and journals are in mid-scroll across the screen.

Unstacked - screenshot of library data visualisation 1

A still image of a computer screen. Six coloured squares are in mid-spin. Each square contains text on the number of publications viewed per university faculty. Titles of books and journals in different sizes are in mid-scroll across the screen.

Unstacked - screenshot of library data visualisation 2

A still image of a computer screen. Two large boxes in the middle of the screen display the text "Most-viewed item today Embase". In the bottom right of the screen two small text boxes display the text "Library items accessed online today 3,616".

Unstacked - screenshot of library data visualisation 3

A still image of a computer screen. A list of coloured boxes display the names of the most-viewed items in the library catalogue for each university faculty. Items listed include, "Nearmap", Australian AS standards only", and "Westlaw Australia".

Unstacked - screenshot of library data visualisation 4

A still image of a computer screen. Six coloured squares are in mid-spin against a white background. Each square contains text on the number of publications viewed per faculty. Titles of books and their related faculty are in mid-scroll across the screen.

Unstacked - screenshot of library data visualisation 5

A still image of a computer screen. Two large boxes in the middle of the screen display the text "One million, two-hundred and thirty thousand, eight-hundred and thirty-seven Library items viewed this year”.

Unstacked - screenshot of library data visualisation 6

A glass wall in a foyer area, displaying a projection of colourful square graphics and text. The text displays the names of university faculties, such as "Medicine & Health", "Law", and "Engineering". A man walks past the wall.
A still image of a computer screen. Six coloured squares are in mid-spin against a white background. Each square contains text on the number of publications viewed per university faculty. Titles of books and journals are in mid-scroll across the screen.
A still image of a computer screen. Six coloured squares are in mid-spin. Each square contains text on the number of publications viewed per university faculty. Titles of books and journals in different sizes are in mid-scroll across the screen.
A still image of a computer screen. Two large boxes in the middle of the screen display the text "Most-viewed item today Embase". In the bottom right of the screen two small text boxes display the text "Library items accessed online today 3,616".
A still image of a computer screen. A list of coloured boxes display the names of the most-viewed items in the library catalogue for each university faculty. Items listed include, "Nearmap", Australian AS standards only", and "Westlaw Australia".
A still image of a computer screen. Six coloured squares are in mid-spin against a white background. Each square contains text on the number of publications viewed per faculty. Titles of books and their related faculty are in mid-scroll across the screen.
A still image of a computer screen. Two large boxes in the middle of the screen display the text "One million, two-hundred and thirty thousand, eight-hundred and thirty-seven Library items viewed this year”.

Past events from this project

Exhibition

An exhibition featuring working examples of the visual development of the project was presented at the Level 5, Main Library Exhibition Space, to launch UNSW Library Unstacked.

Exhibition was held in February 2020.