Collection / Series / Item

UNSTACKED

A time-based visualisation of materials people are accessing from the State Library of NSW collection.

A PROJECT BY

ELISA LEE &
ADAM HINSHAW

FOR

POWERED BY

UNSTACKED

This digitally “enchanted” microfiche reader shows the first 500 items accessed each day from the library’s collection. It is based on historical data and items are laid out chronologically from top left to bottom right in order of access.

To start, pull the microfiche handle all the way towards you, then back.

unstacked.dxlab.sl.nsw.gov.au

A PROJECT BY

ELISA LEE &
ADAM HINSHAW

FOR

POWERED BY

LOADING...

Items from the collection appear when they are accessed.

So, as you see an item appear, it means someone just looked at it. If no items appear, no one is looking at anything at the moment.

The busiest time is between 10am and 3pm.
The quietest time is between 2am and 6am.

UNSTACKED

12:10pm

AEST

UNSTACKED

12:10pm

AEST

A time-based visualisation of materials people are accessing from the State Library of NSW collection.

View what people are accesing from

The entire collection

Manuscript & pictures only

Published only

Show items with images only

Off

ABOUT THE PROJECT

What occurs when human interaction with the collection is visualised in real-time and made accessible? How can this information be experienced so it adds value to the library and its visitors? What behaviours and insights can be deduced and what effect will it have on viewers? Will they be inspired, surprised, educated? These questions framed the research and exploration of this project.

Unstacked is a time-based visualisation of materials people are accessing from the State Library's collection.

It is the collection curated by the people accessing it at any time, revealing the richness and diversity it holds and the broad interests of those using it. Unstacked aims to inspire conversation and further exploration of the collection.

Items from the collection appear as they are accessed. So, as you see an item appear, it means someone just looked at it. If no items appear, no one is looking at anything at the moment. Select an item to show more detail and link back to its catalogue record.

The library organises its collection into two catalogues, Manuscripts & Pictures and Published. Items in Unstacked are represented by a preview image or a colour if no image is available.

	Manuscripts & Pictures

	000 Generalities
	100 Philosophy and Psychology
	200 Religion
	300 Social Sciences
	400 Languages
	500 Science
	600 Technology (Applied Sciences)
	700 Arts and Recreation
	800 Literature
	900 Geography and History
	Unknown

Dewey Decimal colour palette designed by Chris Gaul for the UTS Library

The visualisation is currently powered by four months of cached data and will be updated to a real-time feed in the future.

Created through the inaugural DX Lab Fellowship 2016. The DX Lab Fellowship is supported through a gift to the State Library of NSW Foundation − a not-for-profit organisation which supports key Library fellowships, and innovative exhibitions and landmark acquisitions.

Read about our process here.