Computers in Libraries 2007: Day 3 – Alliance & Charlotte Libraries Get a Second Life: Library Services in a Virtual World
Lori Bell, Tom Peters, Kelly Czarnecki, and Matt Gullett
Lori – intro to second life and their projects
two main projects – adult and teen focuses
5000 daily visitors to the Alliance Information Archipelago and 2-3000 teen visitors per day to the Eye4You Alliance Island – cool.
explanation of avatars
Gone from 1 to 10 islands, 10 partner islands!
starting to work with immersive environments – ex. Sci Fi and Fanstasy portal – looks like a space ship.
Pantheon Performance Center – live piano concerts, student productions
Cool – they mentioned Topeka & Shawnee County Library’s teen project!
explained second life library’s services:
reference
programs
exhibits
collections
book and genre discussions
training
Why are librarians in Second Life?
this is a new professional frontier
this is where many of our users and non-users are
to attract new users to the traditional library through referral
to investigate library services in virtual worlds
to provide library services 24/7
to meet and work with librarians worldwide
to learn and use the 3D web, the emerging web interaction interface
what have we learned?
virtual world residents do want a library
collaboration is the key and partnerships are essential
exhibits – very popular; events attract crowds
SL is fun – fun factor is a catalyst
cil2007
