Hands-On Data Science for Librarians

Librarians understand the need to store, use, and analyze data related to their collection, patrons, and institution, but find it difficult to move from out-of-the-box proprietary software applications to the skills necessary to perform data science actions in code. This book will focus on teaching R through relevant examples and skills that librarians need in their day-to-day lives, such as visualizations, web scraping, working with maps, creating interactive reports, machine learning, and others. It is intended for librarians and other information professionals in any library type and graduate students in library and information science.

Format: Hardback
Length: 180 pages
Publication date: 09 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Librarians recognize the importance of storing, utilizing, and analyzing data related to their collections, patrons, and institutions. Over the past decade, there has been a consistent interest in improving data management, analysis, and visualization skills within the profession. However, librarians face challenges in transitioning from out-of-the-box proprietary software applications to the necessary skills for performing a range of data science actions in code.

This book aims to address this gap by providing practical examples and skills that librarians need in their daily lives, including visualizations but extending far beyond to encompass web scraping, working with maps, creating interactive reports, machine learning, and other relevant topics. While theory, ethics, and statistical methods hold their place, librarians require a tool to acquire sufficient facility with R to effectively utilize data science skills in their daily work, regardless of the type of library they operate. By walking through each skill and its application to library work before guiding the reader through each line of code, this book aims to support librarians who aspire to apply data science in their daily routines.

Hands-On Data Science for Librarians is designed for librarians (and other information professionals) working in any library type, including public, academic, and special libraries, as well as graduate students pursuing degrees in library and information science (LIS). Key Features:
1. Unique Focus on Data Science for Librarians: This book is the only data science resource specifically tailored for librarians, offering step-by-step code examples that cater to their unique needs and challenges.
2. Wide-ranging Library Examples: The examples provided in the book encompass a diverse range of library types, ensuring that librarians from all sectors can find relevant applications of data science in their work.
3. Accessible to Non-Technical Professionals: The book is written in a clear and concise manner, making it accessible to librarians who may not have a technical background but are interested in learning data science techniques.
4. Job-Skill-Focused Approach: The book emphasizes the practical application of data science skills, focusing on job-relevant tasks and their real-world applications in libraries.
5. Relevant Datasets: The book includes access to relevant datasets that librarians can use to practice and apply the skills learned throughout the book.

In conclusion, Hands-On Data Science for Librarians is a valuable resource for librarians who want to embrace data science and leverage its power to enhance their work and contribute to the betterment of libraries. By providing practical examples and skills, this book empowers librarians to become data literate and apply data science techniques to improve their services, enhance patron engagement, and drive innovation within the library sector.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032109992