The document summarizes a presentation about creating a Virtual Learning Commons (VLC) to support distance learners and build an online community. It discusses how Eastern University has a growing population of distance and international students who lack interaction. The VLC would integrate the university's online resources and use Web 2.0 tools like wikis, blogs, and social networking to create virtual places for classes, library services, accessing resources, and meeting others. It describes a year-long experiment opening the VLC to the broader community that included student workers, volunteers, alumni, and international friends.

1. Tri-State College Library Cooperative Spring Conference, American College, Bryn Mawr, PA, April 24th 2007 The Virtual Learning Commons Moving Towards a ‘ Grand Good Place’ by Mark D. Puterbaugh Information Services Librarian Eastern University, Warner Memorial Library, St. Davids, PA

2. A Place where everyone know your name!

3. Distance Education/Reference and Life on the Internet Lack of interaction Social process Social presence Quality of instruction Quality of reference services support

4. “ The bigger the new world that the Net opens up, the lonelier it is.” Park Sang-woo, The World of Internet Games, Koreana 16 no4 38-41 Wint 2002

5. The Case of Eastern University Nearly half of the student population are either distance learners or commuters Student and faculty found in varied locations within the United States Growing population of students found in international sites.

6. The Case of Eastern University Our students are found in: South Africa, Brazil, Thailand, Romania China Ghana, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, and the Philippines India South Korea Austria

7. A Global Community How do we provide services? How do we do academic support? How do we do research instruction? How do we do reference?

8. Web 2.0 The Social Web Wikis Blogs Social Search Engines RSS feeds Instant Messaging Meetups /social networking Online social gaming

9. The Virtual Learning Commons A place in cyber space to bring together all the University’s online resources Blackboard E-journals E-books Distance learning Distance reference

10. The Virtual Learning Commons A place in cyberspace to build a community

11. A Place for On-line Classes

12. A Place for Library Services

13. A Place to Access E-Resources

14. A Place to Meet Friends and Colleagues

15. A Place to Grow Community

16. “ Increased user contribution leads to the growth of “collective intelligence” and reusable dynamic content. Such engagement with content promotes a sense of community, empowerment, and ownership for users” Maged N. Kamel Boulos, Steve Wheeler (2007) The emerging Web 2.0 social software: an enabling suite of sociable technologies in health and health care education 1 Health Information and Libraries Journal 24 (1), 2–23. doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2007.00701.x

17. VBI Phase IV A year long experiment that opened VBI to the community! Student workers Volunteers Alumnae Librarians Faculty International Friends

18. Mandi’s Place

20. Fred’s Place

22. Kristin’s Place

24. Matt’s Place

26. Teresa’s Place

28. Ted’s Place

32. Mi Young’s Place

35. Fran’s Place

37. Main Street