Data Art for the Networked Community

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MAKING VISIBLE THE INVISIBLE
Library Unbound Seattle Public Library
Commission

• Data Art for the Networked Community

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SPL Library Architectural InfraStructure
Transformations

• Rem Koolhaas radical redesign
• Open public research computerized spaces
• Spiral lay-out book storage stacks
• Wired librarians (offices turned into open
  spaces)
• RFID automated checkout and return sorting

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Book Spiral Dewey Classification in a Continuous
Ribbon
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Dewey Coded Floor Spiral
.jp
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Automated RF System Check-in, Check-out
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Librarians Set Loose Traded Office Space for
Commdevice
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Visualizing the Collective Data Space The
Library As Data Exchange Center
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Librarians Visualization
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Making Visible the Invisible, a 10 year
Visualization Project 2004-2014

• For the next ten years Collect hourly
  circulation of books, analyze the data, and
  represent through visualizations
• Data animations are featured on 6 large LCD
  panels located on a glass wall horizontally
  behind the librarians main information desk
• in the Mixing Chamber, a large open 19,500 sq ft
  space dedicated to information retrieval and
  public accessible computer research.

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Research Phase (fall 2003-spr 2005)

• 1 week residency to learn about the library, its
  operations, etc.
• Correlation is made between the flow of data
  (books, DVD) leaving the library and what the
  community of patrons considers interesting
  information at any specific time.
• The circulation of books is information that can
  be calculated mathematically and represented
  visually.

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What are the Research Questions?

• Focus on the library as a Data Exchange Center
• Information in circulation Meaning to emerge out
  of the organization of data
• Emergence driven Local individual actions
  (checking out books/dvds) add up to collective
  positions representative of the communal
  thinking!
• How to transform the collecting and processing of
  data into an aesthetic experience Emphasis on
  narrative, metaphoric, associative expression
• Visualizations Based on the organization of the
  data, according to rule-based processes

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Challenges Negotiating Data Access, Privacy,
Reliability

• Libraries other archival institutions are not
  used to dynamic artworks that plug into their
  system for data
• Much negotiation with the IT sector for access to
  data over long time
• Obvious main concerns Security, privacy
  protection, system integrity, virus protection,
  maintenance, etc.
• Reliability Issue Project has to be reliable,
  self-sustaining for the next ten years

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3 Related Previous Projects 1992-2001

• An Anecdoted Archive From the Cold War, 1992A
  collection of historical personal objects
  organized according to an invented classification
  system (Floorplan)
• Slippery Traces, 1995Navigation through 250
  postcards (classified into 26 chapters) according
  to multilayered rules inscribed in database
  (picture within picture navigation links)
• Pockets Full of Memories, 2001A dynamically
  growing collection of artifacts with data sets
  provided by the public. The objects are
  dynamically self-organized in a 2D map
  continuously creating a global order

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Anecdoted Archive from the Cold War 1992

• A collection of historical personal objects
  organized according to a hardwired
  classification system Museum floorplan 8
  rooms/chapters each with 6 to 12 stories each
  story has mutiple narratives based on object
  grouping

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Slippery Traces 1995

• 250 postcards organized into 26 chapters.
  Multilinear relational database structure
  Navigation from image to image according to rules
  inscribed in database with picture within picture
  navigation links)

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Pockets Full of Memories 2001-2006

• A dynamically growing collection of artifacts
  provided by the public with data sets through a
  questionnaire. The objects are dynamically
  self-organized in a 2D Visualization map. Local
  similarities emerging into a global order.

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Phase I Concept Design Development (2003)
With Andreas Schlegel

• Visualizations experimentations Rapid
  prototyping rough sketches focused on look and
  feel of still animations
• Dewey Decimal Classification system
• Online Tracking of Flow of data
  http//128.111.221.74/parsing/index.php

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Significant Area Digital Data Processing /
Management

• Basic method data collection -gt data
  processing -gt visualization
• Bulk of the work The data processing
  in-between incoming data and the visualization
• Data is received every 10 minutes (3000 per hour,
  20000 transactions per day)
• Operating for the next ten years (2014)

ltProcessinggt
InDATA
OutVISUALIZATION
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Data Processing Metadata

• How by tracking the circulation of books/media
• Require Regular access to real-time data over
  long time
• Methods Calculations based on metadata
• All books media (cds, dvds, etc.) are RF tagged
• System tracks circulation automatically
• Metadata Catalog Num bibliography Num
  date/time stamps collection code itemtype
  barcode title callNumber Dewey class
  keywords.

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Dewey Classification System Ten topics each
subdivided into 100 subclasses

• 000 - Generalities100 - Philosophy
  Psychology200 - Religion300 - Social
  Science400 - Language500 - Natural Science
  Mathematics600 - Technology Applied
  Sciences700 - Arts800 - Literature900 -
  Geography History
• Untangling my chopsticks has the Dewey label
  641.5952, (placed in the 641 Food drink
  section)

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Metadata in XML Format

• lttransactiongt
• ltitemNumbergt1531202lt/itemNumbergt
• ltbibNumbergt2180049lt/bibNumbergt
• ltckodategt2005-04-20lt/ckodategt
• ltckotimegt165500lt/ckotimegt
• ltckidategt2005-05-06lt/ckidategt
• ltckitimegt182100lt/ckitimegt
• ltcollcodegtnanflt/collcodegt
• ltitemtypegtacbklt/itemtypegt
• ltbarcodegt0010045801205lt/barcodegt
• lttitlegtUntangling my chopsticks, a culinary
  sojourn in Kyotolt/titlegt
• ltcallNumbergt641.5952 R358U 2003lt/callNumbergt
• ltdeweyClassgt641.5952lt/deweyClassgt
• ltsubjectsgt
• ltsubjectgtCookery Japaneselt/subjectgt
• ltsubjectgtJapanese tea ceremonylt/subjectgt
• ltsubjectgtKyoto Japan Social life and
  customslt/subjectgt
• ltsubjectgtFood habits Japan Kyotolt/subjectgt
• lt/subjectsgt

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Phase II Visual Exploration System Planning
(2004) With August Black

• System, data storage discussions with SPL IT
• Experimentation with graphic visualizations
  spectral pulses radar plots bezier/spirals,
  Voronoi variations
• Planning the datastructure its organization,
  questions of what to look for, what patterns,
  keywords?

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Phase III System Architecture, Design
Production With Rama Hoetzlein

• July 2005 System Architecture Design and
  production
• Aug 2005 Data Flow Structure and Visualizations
  (without access to real data)
• Sept 5-12, 2005 Seattle Installation
• 1 week to install
• First realtime access to data
• Hardware/Software synchronization
• Interface with IT

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Rama Hoetzlein System Development (summer/fall
2005)

• System overview (for continuous, large scale data
  analysis and real-time visualization)
• Data Analysis Overview
• Keyword Frequency Analysis
• Storing Data over time (10 years)
• Visualization Processes (Realtime graphics,
  synchronizataion, data retrieval)
• Network Data Flow (Server, clients, data
  transfer)
• Multiple Visualization Timing
• Visualization Management (Layered processes,
  GameX interface)

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Librarians Visualization
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1 _Vital Statistics, Fall 2005

• The days and last hours circulation activities
• 1) Total items, 2) Dewey, 3) Non-Dewey, 4)
  Books,5) DVD, 6) CDs and other media
• Background color changes with time throughout day
• IMPACT Statistical overview, a form of clock at
  glance

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2 _Floating Titles Fall 2005

• Time based, linear stream of the last hours
  titles, timestamped, spatialized (far, close),
  and color coded (books, media)
• IMPACT Sequence provides unexpected associations

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3 _Dot Matrix Rain Fall 2005

• Non-Dewey titles fall from the top of screen
  (gravity metaphor), Dewey titles pop up on screen
• Finale Overall Dewey activity trace
• IMPACT Relational overview (for librarians)
  between Dewey, non-dewey, books, and media.

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4 _Keyword Map Attack Fall 2005

• Word Frequency Index of significant title words,
  and Marc associated keywords, spatially plotted
  according to Dewey order, color coded, based on
  usage
• IMPACT Maps topics of interests based on
  keywords transcending Dewey categories

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Front and Back Views of the Visualization
Installation
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Challenges for a Ten Year Digital Media Arts
Project

• What to map to show Change Over time
• Search for patterns What exactly to look for?
• External correlation (news events)? relevant?
• Feedback How does the visualization impact on
  circulation?
• How do the librarians react to the visualized
  information, and the participatory need of
  technical support?

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Review Evaluation Issues

• Best realization method Custom software design
  defined by the task at hand
• Collaborative Development requires a particular
  mindset from participants
• Technology changes every 3 years Long term
  technological artwork requires maintenance
  program and budget
• Institution must be competent to feature and
  willing to support technologally complex artworks

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Credits

• Technical Design, Research Production
• Andreas Schlegel, Preliminary interaction Design,
  website, data organization (2003-2004)
• August Black, Preliminary data organization and
  visualization, system administration (2004-2005)
• Rama Hoetzlein/Mark Zifchock Team, Final
  Engineering design, data organization, and
  production (Summer 2005)
• Sponsors
• Seattle Public Library
• Seattle Arts Commission
• Committee of 33, Seattle
• NSF IGERT multimedia Research