Do we remove all the walls? Second Life Librarianship

Do we remove all the walls? Second Life librarianship Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Kathryn Greenhill Emerging Technologies Specialist Murdoch University February 2008 LibrariansMatter.com Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Let’s fly Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

(embedded video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aI5zQtRh9E Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Definition - MUVE

Limitations of Second Life

Possibilities for Second Life

Australian Libraries Building

Library objects

Advantages for librarians

What we learned

Outline Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

M ulti U ser V irtual E nvironment MUVE Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Client/server

Real time

Multiple user

Each user’s own POV

3D rendering

Graphics, sound, networking

Aim = Immersion

MUVE elements Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

SL Teen Grid

There

Habbo Hotel

Kaneva

Activeworlds

Whyville

Webkinz

Club Penguin

Other MUVEs Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Limitations of Second Life Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

OVERHYPED Second Life is Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

80 Percent of Active Internet Users Will Have A ``Second Life'' in the Virtual World by the End of 2011 - Gartner

Educause/NMC Horizon Report 2007

But… Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Growth is levelling off Although… Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Source: Linden Labs. Second Life economy posts solid growth in Q4: http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/01/17/second-life-economy-posts-solid-growth-in-q4/ Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Where our users are NOT Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Library 2.0 … unless it matches your users’ needs NOT Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Broadband

Fast processor

High end graphics card

Access Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

90% Churn rate Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Not really…

Fewer than 100 people per event per island

Scalable ? Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

… a creepy post-apocalyptic wasteland John Blyberg said it was like …. Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

It’s evolving … Remember this …. Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com (Audio of dialup modem connecting)

Free Full of librarians Has critical mass Available right now It is … Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Worth investigating Can only be understood by doing Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Possibilities of Second Life Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

What can you do in Second Life? Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Avatars Islands Buildings Objects Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Avatars

Talk

Modify

Move

Objects

Build

Upload

Buy, sell and trade

Animate

Script

Environment

Streamed media

Join groups and network

Events

2003 Second Life April 2006 Shopfront library Oct 2006 Infoisland – 2 islands Nov 2006 Australian Libraries building Feb 2007 9 islands July 2007 40 islands SL Library History Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

What are libraries doing in Second Life? Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Reference

Outreach programs

Collections

Classes and seminars

Slideshare.net Search: sirexkat More on what librarians are doing …. Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Australian Libraries Building Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

First – Social, met people Australian Libraries Building Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Second– Did things with objects Australian Libraries Building Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Scripted Objects Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

(embedded video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOh5UF9-kmg Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Advantages for librarians who experiment in Second Life Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Learn new interface Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Understand users who game Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Break down professional isolation Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Increase coding skills Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Fun creative expression Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Join collaborative learning community Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Network about real life library topics Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Find expert professional support Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Nimble thinking and adapatable Advantages Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

What we learned about information in a MUVE Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

Tom Peters, report into first year of SL library… Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

If Second Life crashed tomorrow, or all users moved away… Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com

… thus resulting in tremendous loss of person hours spent building and designing in Second Life, most librarians seem to agree that the experiential and theoretical knowledge gained during this first collective exploration of virtual worlds would be a sufficiently valuable thing to take away to make the project worthwhile “

Source: Peters, Tom 2007 A Report on the First Year of Operation of the Alliance Second Life Library 2.0 Project also known as the Alliance Information Archipelago: April 11, 2006 Through April 18, 2007 10 August 2007 TAP Information Service, Chicago. Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com