Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library

© 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop data visualisation proof of concept prototypes that will enable the Curtin University Library team to explore its users’ information-seeking behaviour and collection use online by analysing the library’s EZproxy log...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Joseph, Pauline, Kent, Aaron J., Green, Peter, Robinson, Matthew, Bellenger, Amanda
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LTD 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/77147
_version_ 1848763819902369792
author Joseph, Pauline
Kent, Aaron J.
Green, Peter
Robinson, Matthew
Bellenger, Amanda
author_facet Joseph, Pauline
Kent, Aaron J.
Green, Peter
Robinson, Matthew
Bellenger, Amanda
author_sort Joseph, Pauline
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop data visualisation proof of concept prototypes that will enable the Curtin University Library team to explore its users’ information-seeking behaviour and collection use online by analysing the library’s EZproxy logs. Design/methodology/approach: Curtin Library’s EZproxy log file data from 2013 to 2017 is used to develop the data visualisation prototypes using Unity3D software. Findings: Two visualisation prototypes from the EZproxy data set are developed. The first, “Global Visualisation of Curtin Research Activity”, uses a geographical map of the world as a platform to show where each research request comes from, the time each is made and the file size of the request. The second prototype, “Database Usage Visualisation”, shows the use of the library’s various subscription databases by staff and students daily, over a month in April 2017. Research limitations/implications: The paper has following limitations: working to a tight timeline of ten weeks; time taken to cleanse noise data; and requirements for storing and hosting the voluminous data sets. Practical implications: The prototypes provide visual evidence of the use of Curtin Library’s digital resources at any time and from anywhere by its users, demonstrating the demand for the library’s online service offerings. These prototype evidence-based data visualisations empower the library to communicate in a compelling and interesting way how its services and subscriptions support Curtin University’s missions. Originality/value: The paper provides innovative approaches to create immersive 3D data visualisation prototypes to make sense of complex EZproxy data sets.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T11:09:32Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-77147
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-14T11:09:32Z
publishDate 2019
publisher EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LTD
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-771472019-12-09T04:28:56Z Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library Joseph, Pauline Kent, Aaron J. Green, Peter Robinson, Matthew Bellenger, Amanda Science & Technology Technology Information Science & Library Science Academic libraries User-centred design Collection management Information resources management Data visualization EZproxy server logs INFORMATION-SEEKING USAGE FIND © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop data visualisation proof of concept prototypes that will enable the Curtin University Library team to explore its users’ information-seeking behaviour and collection use online by analysing the library’s EZproxy logs. Design/methodology/approach: Curtin Library’s EZproxy log file data from 2013 to 2017 is used to develop the data visualisation prototypes using Unity3D software. Findings: Two visualisation prototypes from the EZproxy data set are developed. The first, “Global Visualisation of Curtin Research Activity”, uses a geographical map of the world as a platform to show where each research request comes from, the time each is made and the file size of the request. The second prototype, “Database Usage Visualisation”, shows the use of the library’s various subscription databases by staff and students daily, over a month in April 2017. Research limitations/implications: The paper has following limitations: working to a tight timeline of ten weeks; time taken to cleanse noise data; and requirements for storing and hosting the voluminous data sets. Practical implications: The prototypes provide visual evidence of the use of Curtin Library’s digital resources at any time and from anywhere by its users, demonstrating the demand for the library’s online service offerings. These prototype evidence-based data visualisations empower the library to communicate in a compelling and interesting way how its services and subscriptions support Curtin University’s missions. Originality/value: The paper provides innovative approaches to create immersive 3D data visualisation prototypes to make sense of complex EZproxy data sets. 2019 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/77147 10.1108/LHT-04-2018-0050 English EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LTD fulltext
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Technology
Information Science & Library Science
Academic libraries
User-centred design
Collection management
Information resources management
Data visualization
EZproxy server logs
INFORMATION-SEEKING
USAGE
FIND
Joseph, Pauline
Kent, Aaron J.
Green, Peter
Robinson, Matthew
Bellenger, Amanda
Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library
title Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library
title_full Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library
title_fullStr Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library
title_short Analysis of EZproxy server logs to visualise research activity in Curtin’s online library
title_sort analysis of ezproxy server logs to visualise research activity in curtin’s online library
topic Science & Technology
Technology
Information Science & Library Science
Academic libraries
User-centred design
Collection management
Information resources management
Data visualization
EZproxy server logs
INFORMATION-SEEKING
USAGE
FIND
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/77147