Introduction

• This session will introduce Second Life and explore the ways in which SL is currently being adopted by Library and Information professionals to inspire and engage their users.

• We will demonstrate how we have used Second Life for collaboration, Continuing Professional Development and teaching and explore what role Second Life may play in the future of our industry.

2

Introduction

Keri:• RL Intro • Introduction to SL• Information Communities• CPD – Careers Fair• Case studies and industry

relevance• Links

Sheila:• RL Intro• Infolit iSchool• Education and Teaching in

SL • Collaboration• Links

WHAT IS SECOND LIFESECOND LIFE IS A 3-D VIRTUAL WORLD ENTIRELY CREATED BY ITS RESIDENTS. SINCE OPENING TO THE PUBLIC IN 2003, IT HAS GROWN EXPLOSIVELY AND TODAY IS INHABITED BY MILLIONS OF RESIDENTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.

LINDEN LAB WAS FOUNDED IN 1999 BY PHILIP ROSEDALE TO CREATE A REVOLUTIONARY NEW FORM OF SHARED EXPERIENCE, WHERE INDIVIDUALS JOINTLY INHABIT A 3D LANDSCAPE AND BUILD THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

TODAY THIS EXPERIENCE, KNOWN AS SECOND LIFE, HAS A RAPIDLY GROWING POPULATION OF RESIDENTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE, WHO ARE CREATING AND INHABITING A VIRTUAL WORLD OF THEIR OWN DESIGN.

SL Library Locations

• Info Islands I and II• Health Info Island• The Caledon Branch Library• Cybrary City Islands - Cybrary City provides a virtual home to many public and

academic RL libraries.• Eye4YouAlliance on Teen Second Life - for teens between the ages of 13 and

17. A popular island where librarians can provide services to teenagers who drop by• ALA – American Library Association• The West of Ireland Community Library• State Library of Kansas

Futurist Libraries

• Building virtual libraries• Volunteering in SL libraries• Marketing and publicizing services • Holding events – exhibitions, book launches,

giving tours, training events• Empowering and engaging users• Educating• Collaborating and networking, making

contacts, innovating, sharing best practice• Supporting charities

Alliance Virtual Library

The Library Career Fair,Managed by the LIS Student Union under Adra Letov (Dr Diana Nahl Univeristy of Hawaii) and DaisyBlue Hefferman.

The Career Fair events will include:

Orientations for new avatars (librarians, students, and staff), an LIS Career Resource Center with links to global job postings, speakers on survival skills for securing work in the current economy, CV & interview advice, and what employers are looking for in today’s media-rich Web 2.0 information environments.

Alliance Virtual LibraryCareer Fair

• Opportunity to meet peers and network globally• Chance to present in SL!• Library Career Fair – opportunity to make library job

openings known and meet with job seekers and LIS students

• A chance for others to showcase what their libraries are doing in Second Life

“We invite you to become familiar with RezLibris Magazine.  RezLibris was formally started on March 17, 2008 to provide a venue that would highlight librarian activities within the library community in Second Life. Its first issue was published in November, 2008. RezLibris Magazine consists of articles contributed by librarians and about librarians.  It also consists of regular columns and features all types of Second Life libraries and librarians.  RezLibris Magazine is published on the first Sunday of each month through our website - http://rezlibris.com”. 

Rez Libris The online magazine for librarians

• A web magazine for information professionals by information professionals

• Committed to promoting and supporting librarianship in SL• Sharing best practice• Encouraging collaboration • Bringing the SL information community together globally

Rez Libris The online magazine for librarians

• Inform, inspire, educate – taking on the challenge to spread the word and support the industry

• Keeping up with latest developments and technologies• Press release sent to over 5000 AV’s• 1000 visits per month

User Experience

• What initially brought you to SL?• What role does SL play in the library profession?• How does it enhance your professional life?• Are you a member of any SL professional

networks?

User ExperienceWest of Ireland Library – Derry McMahon

Cultural & entertainment space

Launched 2008 Festival of St Patrick grown into one of the busiest SL Libraries

Community Building

Charity

User ExperienceRocky Vallejo - State Library of Kansas

• Communication - Opened my eyes to tools I knew nothing or little about

• Broadened my professional perspective

• Opened up the professional world

• Collaboration - Importance of social networking outside of the industry

Get a second life! ...

http://www.rezlibris.comhttp://sllibrarians.ning.com/

http://infoisland.org/

Weekes Gray

Keri Gray

01942 235 123

info@weekesgray.com

www.weekesgray.com

Kitty Mumfuzz!

Sheila Webber, Senior LecturerDepartment of Information StudiesUniversity of Sheffield

Sheila YoshikawaOwner of Infolit iSchoolOrganises discussion seriesLearns and Teaches in SL

Infolit iSchool

Building shared with School of Education

Models of SCONUL 7 Pillars of IL

Exhibition space

Some of the discussion spaces

Teaching 1st years

• 20-25 students; BSc Information Management• Second Life activity required for coursework• Initially students used SL together in lab with me

(socialisation element)• Class group activity: advice on dangers of SL• Research interview in SL about information behaviour• Information Literacy core module: aims

– to progress students' information literacy in key areas (working towards being an information literate citizen)

– to develop their understanding of information literacy & information behaviour theories and practice

Sheila Webber, 2009

Observations• “Authentic” research experience• Reasonable to excellent analyses of interview transcripts • Stimulated reflection on interview process• Justifying in terms of learning outcomes: don’t think all

students have to think it is “fun” (although some do)• Students won’t automatically be engaged with SL: pedagogic

rationale needed (i.e. good pedagogy applies…)• Students also appreciated possible use in real life IM jobs• SL not suited to long static presentations, or other things best

done in Real Life

Sheila Webber, 2009

Macbeth island

Liverpool University

Virtual HajjSheila Webber, 2009

Collaboration, networking, learning

Presentation by Marshall Dozier and Fiona Brown (Pancha Enzyme and Zeno Silvercloud in SL): part of the Infolit iSchool CILR discussion series

Results of a survey: librarians’ views on SL

Sheila Webber, 2009

SL librarians• Robin Ashford (Robin Mochi in SL): Community

Librarian on Karuna (PT paid post) & (as librarians at her university in the USA)teaching staff about SL

Sheila Webber, 2009

“For the librarian who wishes to be immersed in a virtual world, it is essential to have a firm belief in supporting and encouraging new ideas through innovation and imagination. Transcending the boundaries of our traditional roles, we strive to engage library learners in provocative ways providing them opportunities to identify, evaluate, and link content as never before.” Quote from Debra Duncan (Honoria Paine in SL) University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, College of Nursing, Second Life and Immersive Learning Coordinator, Academic Librarian

See also: http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/duncan/Duncan D (2009) “Second Life provides a variety of health information resources." Contact, Spring. http://www.uwosh.edu/con/assets/documents/2009/CONtact%20spring09%20mag%20WEB.pdf University of Wisconsin

Oshkosh,  College of Nursing

Sheila Webber, 2009

Possibility for international collaboration

Sheila Webber, 2009

Model of the SCONUL 7 Pillars of Information Literacy, using the problem “Should we panic about bird flu?” for examples for each pillar – some of the content is student work. Model built by Sheila Webber/Yoshikawa

Sheila Webber, July 2009

3D

This is being adapted and developed into a build focusing on problems/questions about H1 N1 (Swine flu) see the section on the http://infolitischool.pbworks.com/ site if you are interested in this project

This will be used to discuss the whole process of solving an information problem, as a focus for an information quest related to H1N1, for activities focusing on one particular pillar etc.

Sheila Webber, July 2009

Final thoughts• As in Real Life get most out of it if you plan and

participate– Events & projects, including the Infolit iSchool discussion

series & planned Information Literacy Week in SL– Reference desk rota!– Perhaps CILIP could get involved again ;-)

• Unless you find it immediately attractive (in which case plunge in)– Find a friend to help, or take a class– Go in if you have a specific reason

Sheila Webber

s.webber@shef.ac.uk http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber

http://adventuresofyoshikawa.blogspot.com/Twitter: SheilaYoshikawa

Sheila Yoshikawa

Sheila Webber, 2009

• Webber, S. (2008) "Second Life for Business: Ten Techniques." FUMSI, October. http://web.fumsi.com/go/article/use/3326

• Delicious links: http://delicious.com/lilacsl/ (compiled by me, Vicki Cormie, Denny Colledge, Marshall Dozier, Lyn Parker)

• Flickr set on Infolit iSchool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23396182@N00/collections/72157604063164433/

• Infolit iSchool (our SL island) wiki: http://infolitischool.pbwiki.com/

• Virtual World Watch http://virtualworldwatch.net/ (reports on use of virtual worlds in UK HE & FE, podcasts etc.)

• My Netvibes page with some links and videos (aimed particularly at school librarians, but includes items of general educational interest: http://www.netvibes.com/sheilawebber#Using_virtual_worlds