Profiles of Academic Library Use of Data Visualization Applications

This study profiles the efforts of six university libraries in choosing and deploying data visualization applications in a broad range of efforts including but not limited to:  in information literacy efforts, in the library’s own presentation and strategic planning efforts, in cooperation with data labs, repositories, academic departments and other university centers and departments.  The six universities or colleges profiled are: New York University, the University of Washington, the University of California at Santa Barbara, St. John Fisher College, the University of Michigan and Duke University.

The report was written by Ilka Datig,  Instruction & Outreach Librarian at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York.  She earned her MLIS from Syracuse University and her MA in Cultural Anthropology from New York University.  Ilka has previously worked as a librarian at New York University Abu Dhabi and Mary Baldwin University.   Ilka has published her work in College & Research Libraries, Journal of Academic Librarianship, College & Undergraduate Libraries, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship and Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian. 

The study closely examines how libraries choose among the many data visualization approaches available, and how they market their visualization services through workshops, course-integrated training, tutorials, one on one sessions, embedded services in data labs, LibGuides and much more. 

The report helps its readers to pinpoint the often surprising centers of visualization services demand in college and university settings, from faculty, students and administration. It also looks at how libraries are using data visualization in library program assessment, budgeting, student education and many other areas.   The profiles highlight partnerships and collaborations between library data visualization services and digital repositories, data labs, and other library and non-library special purpose campus vehicles.