CMU Libraries
CMU Libraries: Finding the Data - Web Scraping with Python
February 09, 2026
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET
Sorrells Library Den, Wean Hall Fourth Floor
Where is the data and how do you find it? For something even as simple as buying a product online, there is an overwhelming amount of information to parse. With the wealth of information on the internet, how do you get just the data you need to make an informed decision on what to buy? One solution is web scraping, an automated technique used to collect, parse, and store data and information from web pages. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to build a web scraper using Python and the BeautifulSoup library to analyze online product reviews.
By the end of the workshops, participants will use their new skills to crawl the web in search of the best Valentine’s Day gift for their loved one.
Specifically, participants will:
- Build a web scraper using Python and the BeautifulSoup library
- Understand how web data is stored in HTML
- Discuss the ethical implications of data ownership and the related limitations of web scraping
- Build a personalized dataset of product data and reviews
This workshop provides a basic, introductory overview of web scraping. Basic familiarity with Python and/or simple coding concepts is recommended. Basic understanding of HTML is recommended, but not necessary.
Participants are asked to bring their own laptop computer.
This workshop is offered as part of International Love Data Week.