Second Life & Info Island: Library Service in a Virtual World 03 April 2007 Michael Sauers Nebraska Library Commission Rhonda Trueman Johnson & Wales University

What is Second Life? “Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents.” An environment

“Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents.”

An environment

Statistics 19 March 2007 9:05SLT

Is Second Life a Game? “ For me, it is a game because it’s a form of entertainment.” There are games in Second Life (Super Lag Ball) “ There is no manufactured conflict, no set objective. It’s an entirely open-ended experience.” It’s an OS

“ For me, it is a game because it’s a form of entertainment.”

There are games in Second Life (Super Lag Ball)

“ There is no manufactured conflict, no set objective. It’s an entirely open-ended experience.”

It’s an OS

Recommended System Requirements Internet Connection*: Cable or DSL Computer Processor: 1.6GHz Pentium 4 or Athlon 2000+ or better Computer Memory: 512MB or better Video/Graphics Card**: nVidia GeForce FX 5600, GeForce 6600, or better OR ATI Radeon 9600, X600, or better NOTE: Second Life does NOT currently support Windows Vista

Internet Connection*: Cable or DSL

Computer Processor: 1.6GHz Pentium 4 or Athlon 2000+ or better

Computer Memory: 512MB or better

Video/Graphics Card**:

nVidia GeForce FX 5600, GeForce 6600, or better

OR ATI Radeon 9600, X600, or better

NOTE: Second Life does NOT currently support Windows Vista

Account Options Free Additional free accounts are $9.95 L$225 signup bonus Premium $9.95/mo L$1000 signup bonus L$300/week stipend

Free

Additional free accounts are $9.95

L$225 signup bonus

Premium

$9.95/mo

L$1000 signup bonus

L$300/week stipend

Quote “What is there to teach? You just log in and do it.” −Sara, age 13

“What is there to teach? You just log in and do it.” −Sara, age 13

Avatars! www.flickr.com/photos/araiya/31927037/ www.flickr.com/photos/pathfinderlinden/386259434/

In-world Communication Text chat IM Stream in audio and video In-world voice coming soon

Text chat

IM

Stream in audio and video

In-world voice coming soon

Economy Linden Dollars (L$) Liquid Market Buy L$ with real US$ Sell L$ for real US$ $1=~L$240

Linden Dollars (L$)

Liquid Market

Buy L$ with real US$

Sell L$ for real US$

$1=~L$240

Owning Land Must have a premium account to own land. Islands are priced at US$1,675 for 65,536 square meters (about 16 acres). Monthly land fees for maintenance are US$295. We offer a discount to verified real world educators and academic institutions (e.g., universities/schools) or 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that will be using the regions to support their organization's official work. For these organizations, small islands are priced at US$980 for 65,536 square meters (about 16 acres), and monthly land fees for maintenance are US$150.

Must have a premium account to own land.

Islands are priced at US$1,675 for 65,536 square meters (about 16 acres). Monthly land fees for maintenance are US$295.

We offer a discount to verified real world educators and academic institutions (e.g., universities/schools) or 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that will be using the regions to support their organization's official work. For these organizations, small islands are priced at US$980 for 65,536 square meters (about 16 acres), and monthly land fees for maintenance are US$150.

83 sq miles

Building Create a “prim” Shape it, color it, texture it Apply physics and lighting

Create a “prim”

Shape it, color it, texture it

Apply physics and lighting

Scripting Avatar and object control Movement (sexy walk, pose, dance, combat) Permissions (ownership, copy, modify) Audio/Video Event sensing Output

Avatar and object control

Movement (sexy walk, pose, dance, combat)

Permissions (ownership, copy, modify)

Audio/Video

Event sensing

Output

Who owns what I create? You retain all rights to your intellectual property.

You retain all rights to your intellectual property.

Camera View You don’t have to look through your eyes.

You don’t have to look through your eyes.

Learning Environments Walk through molecular models Meditate in a Shinto temple Heart Murmur Simulation Live in Victorian times Live in Ancient Rome Visit the Globe Theatre

Walk through molecular models

Meditate in a Shinto temple

Heart Murmur Simulation

Live in Victorian times

Live in Ancient Rome

Visit the Globe Theatre

Events US Congress Henry VIII Book discussion groups Author events Kurt Vonnegut, Dean Koontz Concerts Jay Z, U2, Duran Duran, Suzanne Vega http://www.flickr.com/photos/34929109@N00/422987698/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremyvaught/422358779/ http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/03/14/dean-koontz-comes-to-second-life/

US Congress

Henry VIII

Book discussion groups

Author events

Kurt Vonnegut, Dean Koontz

Concerts

Jay Z, U2, Duran Duran, Suzanne Vega

Par-tay! http://www.flickr.com/photos/photolibraries/419796290/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/christajoy42/385233507/

Groups Librarians of Second Life Podcaster Island Stroke victims Wheelies The Land of Doctor Who

Librarians of Second Life

Podcaster Island

Stroke victims

Wheelies

The Land of Doctor Who

Machinima

Info Island Alliance Library Systems April 2006 – Rented space May 2006 – InfoIsland Currently: 10 ALS Islands 9 Associated Islands

Places & Faces InfoIsland InfoIsland 2 Health InfoIsland Cybrary City Cybrary City 2 EduIsland EduIsland 2 ALA/ Arts Island Imagination Island Renaissance Island Eye4YouAlliance Island (Teen Grid)

InfoIsland

InfoIsland 2

Health InfoIsland

Cybrary City

Cybrary City 2

EduIsland

EduIsland 2

ALA/ Arts Island

Imagination Island

Renaissance Island

Eye4YouAlliance

Island (Teen Grid)

Service Outreach Public Academic Special Conversation Events Workshops Displays & Exhibits One-on-one interactions

Outreach

Public

Academic

Special

Conversation

Events

Workshops

Displays & Exhibits

One-on-one interactions

Benefits Networking Partnerships & Collaboration Events, workshops, discussion groups Meeting space Creative Space Continuing education Library education

Networking

Partnerships & Collaboration

Events, workshops, discussion groups

Meeting space

Creative Space

Continuing education

Library education

Individual Library Space Academic Johnson & Wales University Stanford Engineering Library Claremont College Digital Library Public Kansas State Library Society Hill (SC) Public Library Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenburg County (NC) Special Law Medical Nebraska Library Commission Cybrary City 1 & 2

Individual Library Space

Academic

Johnson & Wales University

Stanford Engineering Library

Claremont College Digital Library

Public

Kansas State Library

Society Hill (SC) Public Library

Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenburg County (NC)

Special

Law

Medical

Nebraska Library Commission

Cybrary City – Library Schools UNC Chapel Hill UNC Greensboro University of South Florida San Jose State University University of Michigan University of Pittsburgh City University of NY

ALA Headquarters and Washington Office Come to SL David Lankes from Syracuse University delivered ALA's Washington Office's first interactive presentation in Second Life http:// iis.syr.edu/projects/PNOpen /

ALA Headquarters and Washington Office Come to SL

David Lankes from Syracuse University delivered ALA's

Washington Office's first interactive presentation in Second

Life

http:// iis.syr.edu/projects/PNOpen /

Reality Checks

Reality Checks If you don’t have the “recommended” hardware it’s going to be a frustrating experience. If you can’t follow several conversations and are easily annoyed by tyops… You don’t have to spend real money, but it helps.

If you don’t have the “recommended” hardware it’s going to be a frustrating experience.

If you can’t follow several conversations and are easily annoyed by tyops…

You don’t have to spend real money, but it helps.

Reality Checks The more people at an event/in a location the greater the lag will be. Your boss and co-workers will probably not view this as “work” so you’ll be contributing personal time. The more fun you’re having, the more time you’ll want to spend on the grid.

The more people at an event/in a location the greater the lag will be.

Your boss and co-workers will probably not view this as “work” so you’ll be contributing personal time.

The more fun you’re having, the more time you’ll want to spend on the grid.

Reality Checks People are generally polite but they’ll still fall on your head. Don’t plan on keeping track of acquaintances based on their appearance as many change their avatars regularly.

People are generally polite but they’ll still fall on your head.

Don’t plan on keeping track of acquaintances based on their appearance as many change their avatars regularly.

Reality Checks Updates, updates, updates. Trying to log in for an event at the last minute only to find out you need to download a new version first. System problems Grey Goo Purchased items disappearing The world goes offline

Updates, updates, updates.

Trying to log in for an event at the last minute only to find out you need to download a new version first.

System problems

Grey Goo

Purchased items disappearing

The world goes offline

Getting Started Sign up for a free account and play! InfoIsland.org Podcasts Who’s on Second Second Life Library Videos on YouTube

Sign up for a free account and play!

InfoIsland.org

Podcasts

Who’s on Second

Second Life Library

Videos on YouTube

Thank you! Michael Sauers a.k.a. TravelinLibrarian Mandelbrot Nebraska Library Commission [email_address] www.travelinlibrarian.info Rhonda Trueman a.k.a. Abbey Zenith Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte [email_address] [email_address] del.icio.us/travelinlibrarian/ secondlife

Michael Sauers

a.k.a.

TravelinLibrarian Mandelbrot

Nebraska Library Commission

[email_address]

www.travelinlibrarian.info