A3: SPL Library Checkouts

Introduction

I chose to use the dataset with items checked out at least 10 times a month from 2017-2023. I am going to analyze the trend of the usage of book and ebook, the trend of physical and digital usage, and the trend of the two of my favorite creator. I chose this particular dataset to analyze because I want to see how the amount of checkouts vary within the time period.

Summary Information

The summary values I found using the code includes the average numbers of checkouts for each items, the physical book checkouts, the physical book checkouts, the usage class ebook checkouts, the usage class book checkouts, my favorite book checkouts, and my favorite author checkouts. The average number for the item 1984 checkout is 69, which is a relatively low checkout number compared to rest of the books. Another interesting value is the J. K. Rowlings’ checkout in 2020, with an approximately 20,000 checkout. I think a sudden burst in the checkouts of her book is due to the popularity of the works that went viral in the movie industry.

The Dataset

• Who collected/published the data?

The data was collected and published by the Seattle Public Library.

• What are the parameters of the data (dates, number of checkouts, kinds of books, etc.)?

The parameters of the data include usage class, checkout type, material type, checkout year, checkout month, checkouts, title, ISBN, creator, subjects, publisher, publication year of the item.

• How was the data collected or generated?

The dataset gathered by the Seattle Public Library (SPL) through their circulation system. The data includes information on all checkouts of physical and electronic items. SPL updates the dataset every week.

• Why was the data collected?

The data was collected to ensure that the circulation of the items in the Seattle Public Library (SPL) system is open and accessible to everyone. This data can be used for various purposes such as analyzing borrowing patterns, evaluating the demand for specific items, and making informed decisions. The dataset can also be beneficial for researchers, educators, and other interested people to investigate library usage trends.

• What, if any, ethical questions do you need to consider when working with this data?

I think we can consider the privacy of the people who borrow the books because it includes a detailed record of the date they borrow and return the book. In addition, we can also tell what books are they particular interested in.

• What are possible limitations or problems with this data? (at least 200 words)

One limitation of the dataset is that it only captures checkouts from the Seattle region and may not be representative of library usage in other locations. The dataset can provide insights into the popularity of certain titles or genres within the Seattle region, but these trends may not necessarily be applicable to other regions or populations. Another limitation is that the dataset only includes checkouts of physical and electronic items, excluding other library services. For example, programs or events offered by the library are not captured in the data. This may limit the ability of researchers or librarians to understand the full range of services offered by the library and how they contribute to community engagement and lifelong learning. Furthermore, the dataset only captures items borrowed from the Seattle Public Library system, and not items borrowed from other libraries or purchased by individuals. This may result in an incomplete picture of the reading habits or preferences of library users in the Seattle region. The dataset also does not provide information about why certain items were borrowed or how they were used. This means that it may be difficult to draw conclusions about the impact of certain titles on readers or their relevance to current events or societal issues.

First Trends Over Time Chart

The plot shows the total checkouts of physical books and ebooks by year from the Seattle Public Library system. The blue line represents the checkout trends for physical books, and the red line represents the trends for ebooks. The plot indicates that the number of physical book checkouts has been decreasing since 2017, while the number of ebook checkouts has been increasing. Additionally, two sets of colored points are added to show the actual number of checkouts for each material type in each year. Overall, this plot provides a clear visualization of the changes in checkout trends over time and the relative popularity of physical books versus ebooks.

Second Trends Over Time Chart

The plot visualizes the total checkouts of two favorite creators (Orwell and Rowling) from the Seattle Public Library system from 2017 to 2023. It shows two lines representing each creator’s checkouts over the years. The purple line represents Orwell, and the gold line represents Rowling.

From the plot, it seems that Rowling’s books are more popular than Orwell’s in Seattle’s public library system. Rowling’s checkouts started with a higher number in 2017 and peaked in 2020, after which it started to decline.

Overall, the plot provides a quick and clear visualization of the trends in checkouts of these two favorite creators over the years, and it allows us to make some comparisons between them.

Your Choice

The plot shows the checkout counts of two books, “1984” and “Meditations,” over time from 2017 to 2023. There is a clear trend in the data, with “1984” consistently having a higher number of checkouts than “Meditations” each year. Additionally, the plot shows that the number of checkouts for both books has generally decreased over time, with the most recent year (2023) having the lowest number of checkouts for both books.

Overall, the plot suggests that while both “1984” and “Meditations” are popular books, “1984” has consistently been more popular than “Meditations” over the years covered in the dataset. The decreasing trend in checkouts for both books could suggest that they are becoming less popular, or that the library’s collection of these books is becoming less in-demand.