Practical Data Science for Information Professionals provides an accessible introduction to a potentially complex field, providing readers with an overview of data science and a framework for its application. It provides detailed examples and analysis on real data sets to explore the basics of the subject in three principle areas: clustering and social network analysis; predictions and forecasts; and text analysis and mining.

As well as highlighting a wealth of user-friendly data science tools, the book also includes some example code in two of the most popular programming languages (R and Python) to demonstrate the ease with which the information professional can move beyond the graphical user interface and achieve significant analysis with just a few lines of code.

After reading, readers will understand:

· the growing importance of data science

· the role of the information professional in data science

· some of the most important tools and methods that information professionals can use.

Bringing together the growing importance of data science and the increasing role of information professionals in the management and use of data, Practical Data Science for Information Professionals will provide a practical introduction to the topic specifically designed for the information community. It will appeal to librarians and information professionals all around the world, from large academic libraries to small research libraries. By focusing on the application of open source software, it aims to reduce barriers for readers to use the lessons learned within.

'If libraries and librarians are to be serious about the ‘I’ in LIS, then analysing data to find meaning for our customers will be a core component of the service offering. David Stuart’s book is an excellent entry point to the discipline.'

David Stuart is an independent information professional and an honorary research fellow at the University of Wolverhampton, and was previously a research fellow at King's College London and the University of Wolverhampton. He regularly publishes in peer-reviewed academic journals and professional journals on information science, metrics, and semantic web technologies. He is author of Practical Ontologies for Information Professionals (2016), Web Metrics for Library and Information Professionals (2014), and Facilitating Access to the Web of Data (2011).