Are any libraries experimenting with Arduino-like tools to gauge temp/noise/etc. throughout the library?

There was recently a thread on the Code4Lib mailing list about this that really interested me, so I'm asking here too (for maybe a broader audience?)... I'm wondering if any libraries out there are using tools to gauge things like noise levels, temperature, etc. throughout different areas of the library. This could include big industrial tools or smaller things like wifi-connected Arduino boards with on-board sensors (which is really where my interest in the question lies).

If you are using tools like this in your library, what sorts of ways are you implementing them? Do you have any public information on your implementation that you could share?

ksclarke

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Comments

• Ashley Nunn: Are you looking to know what sort of things that they are doing? Just asking if libraries are using such things isn't very constructive - that can be easily answered with a yes or a no.
• ksclarke: Yes, if you are doing it, what are you doing, what tools are you using, do you have a public write-up about it (on your website or anywhere else), etc. Thanks
• Joe: this might be a case of an XY problem -- the original Code4Lib question didn't mention Arduino, just monitoring of temperature so that it could be posted to a website.
• ksclarke: I'm interested in hearing about other approaches (other than Arduino), but I'm particularly interested in Arduino so asked an open question, but steered it towards what I'm really interested in. Learning about big commercial systems for measuring temp (or smaller non-Arduino systems) would be interesting to me, too... yes, I've sort of asked two questions in one. I should say I'm not just interested in temp. Noise and other environmental conditions (for which libraries don't usually have big solutions) are interesting to me.

Answer by Jason Griffey

I'm certainly thinking a lot about remote sensors, open hardware, and Arduino these days, especially as they relate to my new library building. I think it would be brilliant for students to have a "noise map" that they could look at to find a quiet place to study. So yeah, been thinking along these lines. I've got a Twine on order, and am paying attention to all the little sensor kickstarters that are around these days.

I've also talked about this sort of thing a bit in recent presentations. I think this general idea (open, cheap, ubiquitous measurement devices) is going to change how libraries think about their collections. When we can measure lots of things cheaply (how many people that come in the building go into the stacks? How many people pull books out to see the covers, then slide them back in? How many times does someone go into the wrong set of stacks and doubles back to find what they want?) how will our understanding of "usage" change?

Comments

Answer by Matthew Robinson

I recently presented the use of Arduinos and wireless sensor networks to my library as something to consider in the future.

My idea was to use Arduinos connected to cheap microphone modules to measure the sound levels and then wirelessly transmit the data using XBee modules. While MPOW wasn't particularly interested in the idea it is still something that is in the back of my mind.

Comments

• ksclarke: Neat, do you have that presentation up somewhere?
• Jason Griffey: Seconded...would love to see how far you got with this.