Category: Librarians

Alliance Virtual Library: Where can I find…?

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Looking for information on the virtual libraries collaborating in Second Life through Alliance Virtual Library?  The Alliance Virtual Libraries Catalog provides slurls (Second Life url addresses) that will take you to many inworld libraries and library related sims.  Another directory lists many of the libraries and projects on Info Island.

(Note: I revisit this blogpost in 2020 and although Alliance Virtual Libraries is no longer active, the Community Virtual Library expanded on the work of early adopters and kept virtual world librarianship alive.)

Virtual Book Discussions

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bookdisc Book Discussions and Book Clubs are traditionally a highlight of library programs (certainly my elementary school library book club is a happenin’!).  On July 23rd, I led my first virtual book discussion in Second Life on Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash, a 1992 novel which first coined the term “metaverse.”  I worried that no one would show up for the discussion, but it turned out there was standing room only with 27 avatars. Conducting a book discussion in a virtual world made me realize the potential for reaching a wider (global) audience with similar interests.