On September 26th, Chalmers Library arranged ChALS (Chalmers Annual Library Seminar). The theme this year was “Making Data More Human: Visualization and Infographics”. About one hundred participants and speakers gathered at Chalmersska huset, to share ideas on how libraries and other organizations may enrich information through new techniques and interesting designs.

Johanna Olander gave us an introduction and brief history of the area, starting out in 19^th century London, showing us Dr. John Snow’s cholera map. From Johanna’s presentation and throughout the day, we learnt about the story – i.e. the extra value a piece of data visualization or infographics presents. Moritz Stefaner told us about his work with big organizations like the OECD, the Olympic Games in London and also taught us that in order to create outside the box we need to keep an open mind and play (!). Throughout the presentations – by Johanna Olander, Moritz Stefaner, Rurik Greenall, Hampus Brynolf, Åsa Jenslin and Lars Nordesjö, Matilda Hall, Eva Eriksson and Stina Johansson, there was a red line, paved with words like story, creativity, play and good and bad practice.

This year’s ChALS ended with a vernissage, showing pictures and animations (check out Hampus Brynolf’s Twitter animation! that was displayed during the vernissage!) given to us by our presenters. We were also given the opportunity to show a DVD from the very exciting Spaces and Places exhibition at Indiana University.

And for those of you who want to take a first or second look at the ChALS 2012 presentations:

https://blog.lib.chalmers.se/2012/10/15/presentationerna-fran-chals-2/

Thank you all for coming, looking forwards to next year!

/The ChALS 2012 group