Libraries Hacked
Libraries Hacked is a project to promote open data, to help libraries publish their data, and to showcase projects using library data.
“Open data is data that anyone can access, use and share”
Open Data Institute: What is open data and why should we care?
Publishing openly licensed data will ensure library services share data effectively, make data-informed decisions, and enable innovation that can help the public and libraries.
Libraries Hacked projects have received generous time and expertise from collaborators. All projects are open source and free to use and adapt. If you have any questions, see the about page.
Projects
| Year | Project | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Library activity dashboard | A data dashboard to display public library activity data for England |
| 2022 | Fine free libraries | A website to track and promote libraries going fine-free in the UK |
| 2021 | Library books | A tool to search the book catalogues of all UK library services |
| 2020 | Libraries at home | A postcode lookup service and aggregator of library services online content such as videos, blog posts, and podcasts |
| 2020 | Library map | A library map displaying library information, opening hours, and location analysis |
| 2020 | Library lab | Documentation for library prototypes and ideas |
| 2019 | Mobile libraries | Displaying routes of mobile libraries across the UK |
| 2019 | Create | Tools for creating, publishing and using public library open data |
| 2014 | Data blog | Blog posts about library data |
Small data hacks
Hacks using library data.
| Year | Project | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | World library data | Displaying the IFLA Library map data in a data table |
| 2016 | Wuthering hacks | A data dashboard for presenting Newcastle libraries open data |
Other collaborations
External blog posts, research, and other things with Libraries Hacked involvement.
| Year | Project | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Missing libraries: towns in England without a public library | Research on the towns in England without a library |
| 2022 | Frictionless Data - Libraries Hacked | A post written for the Frictionless Data project (from the Open Knowledge Foundation) about library data schemas. |
| 2021 | Libraries and High Streets | A DCMS blog about libraries and high streets which links to Libraries Hacked work |
| 2019 | Library data schemas | A sector led and DCMS hosted public library sector project to design schemas for open library data |
| 2018 | Libraries on Twitter | Displaying latest tweets from various library account lists, all compiled by Library Cactus on Twitter |
| 2017 | Voyage of the Data Treader | Library data unconferences organised with Claire from Plymouth and Aude from Newcastle library services. Held in 2017 at Liverpool Library and 2019 at Manchester Library |