Implementing a Data Visualization Space in a Digital Scholarship Center

There are a wide range of opportunities for and approaches to developing and customizing data visualization support services in academic libraries; however, practitioners interested in exploring current approaches are constrained by the lack of a mature body of literature to consult for inspiration, caution, and best practices. This chapter presents a case study of the implementation of a data visualization space and revised data visualization services in an academic library-based digital scholarship center. A brief summary of data support and data visualization services in the academic library landscape will be outlined, followed by an institutional and organizational profile. Rationale for physical infrastructure and equipment purchases will be provided. Initial lessons learned from iterative design and equipment selection conversations will be described. Provisional access, instructional, evaluation, and outreach plans will be shared. Next steps for enhancing the data visualization space and its affiliated services will be proposed.