Transforming passive usage into actionable insights

A case study in data analytics from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Abstract

In traditional library assessment, circulation data has long been used as a primary indicator of user engagement and collection use. However, circulation statistics do not necessarily capture the full extent of physical collection use, particularly in libraries where borrowing privileges are restricted and substantial use takes place within reading halls. Materials that are consulted and returned within the library may therefore remain invisible in conventional circulation statistics. This study presents a case-based data analytics approach for transforming such passive, non-circulation usage into actionable evidence for collection development and library management. The approach combines RFID-based tracking of items handled within reading halls with bibliographic metadata, including title, subject, language, publisher, Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) and physical location. The study covers a 12-month period from June 2024 through May 2025 and comprises 130,693 in-house item scan events. Data were collected using RFID handheld devices and a custom session-based mobile application, validated against the library’s Integrated Library System, enriched with bibliographic metadata, and subsequently processed and visualized using Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Google Apps Script and Google Looker Studio. The analysis identifies temporal, linguistic, thematic and spatial patterns of in-house collection use that are not visible through circulation statistics alone. The findings demonstrate how routine RFID-based collection-use records can be transformed into structured analytical information that supports collection development, resource allocation, staffing and space management. The case also demonstrates the feasibility of a lean business intelligence and evidence-based library management pipeline based on existing library infrastructure and accessible digital tools, without requiring an extensive smart-shelving installation.