Data Visualization: View, In-Real Time, What’s Being Searched For on the Toronto Public Library Website, Catalog

From Metro (Toronto):

The library has developed a tool using Google analytics that pulls search topics into one spot and updates in real time, offering a fascinating glimpse into the city’s psyche — and a slightly addictive browser screen.
“It provides a window into the whole range of questions, needs, and interests people bring to the public library,” said library user experience specialist Sandra Gornall, who added there are about 35,000 searches done each day at Toronto libraries.
Developer Ian Strang said he took on the project as a challenge in his free time because his colleagues were curious about what people were searching for.

Read the Complete Article
Direct to Toronto Public Library Labs “Search Dashboard”
Note: The icons on the left side of each search query show the browser being used to run the search.
Direct to Toronto Public Library Web Site/Search Interface
More Library Data Visualization Projects
See Also: Haystacks: Visualize Data from Harvard’s Library
See Also: Read About “Making Visible The Invisible” Seattle Library Data Flow Visualization”
George Legrady’s art installation inside the Seattle Public Library that visualizes three types of library-related data including books borrowed. More info here (via SPL).

Filed under: Dashboards, Data Files, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users, Public Libraries