by Elisa Lee

Curtin Library Illuminates

 

Inspiring connection, exploration, discovery and the creation of new knowledge

This real-time visualisation tells the story of how the University’s community is using the Library’s collection as it happens.

Whenever someone views an item on the online catalogue — whether a journal article, book, video or other resource — the interaction is represented by a coloured tile that flies in and lands on the relevant Study Area. A live count of catalogue interactions is displayed by Study Area, along with the total number of items viewed throughout the day. Together, these patterns reveal the dynamic relationship between the Library and research at individual, study area and university levels.

Library items are mapped to 12 study areas, with items that cannot be easily aligned to one of these areas added to a central tile.

The project highlights the diversity of interests, materials and rhythms of use across the community — making research activity visible, discoverable and shared.

Wherever users may be — on campus, in regional WA, or across the world — their connection to the Library is valued.

 

 

“We are delighted with our Unstacked iteration in Curtin Library Illuminates”

Kylie Percival, University Librarian

View Curtin Library Illuminates

Unstacked Project Team

Adam Hinshaw – Co-creator and Developer

 

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 by Elisa Lee

QUT Library Unstacked

Heart of the Campus

QUT Library Unstacked displays and interprets usage of the library in real-time, communicating the scale, breadth and depth of library research activity that is otherwise invisible. This innovative intersection of data, visual communication and library science is a collaboration between the library and the Unstacked team. 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 our faculties, so you can see in more detail how people are using the library’s resources.

Unstacked Project Team

Adam Hinshaw – Co-creator and Developer

 

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State Library of South Australia Collection Items
 by Elisa Lee

State Library of South Australia Unstacked

Photo © Laura Wolfe, State Library of South Australia

Digital Real-time Stories Told by You

The State Library of South Australia has launched Unstacked, which is informed by real-time browsing and encourages curiosity and unexpected exploration of the library’s vast collection. Every time someone accesses an item online from the collection, no matter where they are, it appears in Unstacked and comes alive not only for that person but for everyone in a real-time visualisation curated by patrons.

With an average of 2,400 searches per day of the State Library’s catalogue, the digital exhibition is constantly evolving, reflecting trends in news, history and current affairs and inspiring users to look deeper into the library’s collection.

State Library of South Australia Director, Geoff Strempel said Unstacked is an entertaining and engaging experience that gives anyone a rich visual insight into the breadth and depth of the collection.

 

“Unstacked represents the stories that make us, told by our users, and has created a completely unique and ever changing visual representation of our content, curated not by intention, but through spontaneity”, he said.

“It allows us to anonymously see what items are being searched for in the library’s catalogue at any given time and inspires others to unearth stories and share their own stories. It is essentially a window into the library’s collection through the eyes of those who use it.”

 

Coordinator Collection Development, Anthony Laube said Unstacked showcases not only how people are using the collection, but also the treasures it contains, from the weird to the wonderful.

 

“We have people using the collection for a range of purposes, from recreation to professional research. Users often explore their family history, looking for historical pictures of their home or suburb, and frequently researching significant moments in time.

“We see lots of users search for specific dates as they were reported in The Advertiser, such as the man on the moon front page, or the Queen’s Coronation. One of the quirkiest requests I’ve come across is a user who wanted to know if the department store John Martins was selling a wooden framed camel seat.” 

 

View State Library of South Australia Unstacked

As seen on Channel 7

Unstacked Project Team

Adam Hinshaw – Co-creator and Developer

 

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 by Elisa Lee

Flinders University Library Unstacked

Visualisation of Flinders University Library Unstacked

An intersection of data, visual communication and library science

Flinders University Library Unstacked displays and interprets usage of the university’s scholarly resources in real-time, communicating the scale, breadth and depth of library usage activity that is otherwise invisible. This usage includes the learning, teaching and research use of the scholarly resources, reflecting the varying the needs of our library community. Each time someone looks at a book, journal or another scholarly resource, it is reflected in the visualisation.

Unstacked shows the relative level of Library usage activity as it happens, mapping these items to discipline clusters aligned with Flinders University Colleges, so you can see usage of scholarly resources in more detail. This project is a collaboration between the Flinders University Library and the Unstacked team led by Elisa Lee; with special acknowledgement to UNSW Library for their mapping expertise.

 

View Flinders University Library Unstacked

Unstacked Project Team

Adam Hinshaw – Co-creator and Developer

 

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 by Elisa Lee

Datawall, Royal Naval House

Making Invisible Data Visible and Interactive 

This display maps the pulse of data flowing through Royal Naval House’s network. As a virtual window into the digital traffic of this building’s occupants, it makes the invisible, visible.

Every fifteen seconds two new lines are created from current data levels – one for incoming (moving to the right), and one for outgoing (moving to the left). Changing colour on the hour and fading with age, these lines mark the relationship between time and data levels.

Visitors have the opportunity to interact with the display: overhead sensors tracking their proximity to screens, which displaces or contracts the data lines.

DataWall reflects human traffic passing in and out of Royal Naval House – drawing a link between the physical and virtual worlds.

This project was commissioned by CMG Group and McCann Worldgroup and is one of two installations created for the foyer of their building, The Royal Naval House in the Rocks, Sydney, Australia.

The other installation can be seen here.

 

Client

CMG Group and McCann Worldgroup

Project Team

Adam Hinshaw – Co-creation and Development

Project initiated by Michelle Schuberg

In collaboration with Tim Scott

 

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 by Elisa Lee

Outside In, Royal Naval House

Bringing the Outside In

Outside In is an interactive artwork designed to let visitors to The Royal Naval House, home to creative agencies from CMG Group and McCann Worldgroup, tell a visual story by manipulating the elements of the local environment.

A poetic wallpaper, taking its cues from the immediate environment. It is designed to be a restful and reflective sanctuary for the visitor, who has just come from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Visitors see an ever-changing colour palette; overlaid are soaring birds which dramatically scatter and reform as if startled; looking up, as if into an airy canopy – there’s a growing tree, part of a burgeoning environment.

On closer inspection, the visitor realises the colours in the palette are derived from an external camera signal, which they can control via a touch screen interface. Only they realise the beautiful colours come from what the camera sees.

The birds react to audio levels detected by a microphone in the foyer – shout and they will scatter. Our tree gains sustenance from people entering the building. The more individuals detected, the more the tree matures. It’s an organic representation of the comings and goings of visitors and employees.

This project was commissioned by CMG Group and McCann Worldgroup and is one of two installations created for the foyer of their building, The Royal Naval House in the Rocks, Sydney, Australia.

The other installation can be seen here.

 

Client

CMG Group and McCann Worldgroup

Project Team

Adam Hinshaw – Co-creation and Development

Project initiated by Michelle Schuberg

In collaboration with Tim Scott

 

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 by Elisa Lee

Media Channel Activity, Seven West Media

Seven West Media’s activity across their media channels

The project visualises the previous day’s nationwide activity using time and location and is projection mapped onto a 3 metre wide screen.

 

“We set you a very difficult task and you flew through the challenge… On top of your work, your attitude towards making it work always left us with a confident feeling, no matter what we faced.”

Andy Kay, Head of Olympics and Commonwealth Games, Seven Network (Operations) Limited

 

 

Project Team

The Thought Yard – Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 by Elisa Lee

Shark Tracking, Sydney Aquarium

Sharks!! Communicating shark tracking research to the general public

Commissioned by the Sydney Aquarium, our brief was to communicate Australian shark tracking research findings to the general public in an accessible, informative and entertaining manner.

Privileged to have access to data on Great White Sharks and Bull Sharks from both the CSIRO and the Cronulla State Fisheries, for the first time, results of highly sensitive shark tracking research of Sydney Harbour were released to the public.

Sharks’ past movements are overlaid onto maps and replayed in real-time. Visitors can see when, where, why and how sharks move.

The tracking project is part of a permanent, evolving exhibit that aims to show the general public some of the most fascinating findings of shark tracking research around Australia. Its objective is, through education, to reduce misplaced fear of sharks, and to further the cause of shark conservation. New data will be added as received from the scientists.

 

 

See a sample of the visualisation looking at shark movements in Sydney Harbour.
The take home message was that, yes, they are everywhere but if you don’t swim at dawn or dusk, or when the water is murky you will most likely be totally fine! You’re more likely to have a fatal encounter with a bee sting than a shark.

 

Project Team

Adam Hinshaw – Co-creation and Development

Underwater Australia

 

 

 

 

 

 

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