Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 7,656,389 people from around the globe. Not only can you shop, dance, build and explore in Second Life but the world also offers a 3-D on-line educational experience that teachers and librarians are taking advantage of.
I am sure some of you are afraid right now that we will require you to get an account and experience the world first hand. While that is the preferred method of experiencing Second Life it would take much more than 15 minutes a day to go in-world and get comfortable.
There are three parts to this assignment, part 1 involves watching one of the three YouTube videos listed below. Once you are done viewing your video of choice scroll down to see what to do for part 2! Note: These videos require sound, especially the SJSU video which has voice.
Part 1 - Watch a video
- SJSU SLIS Second Life Campus by Jeremy Kemp
San José State University's School of Library & Information Science uses Second Life to augment its distance learning offerings. - Taking on a Second Life! by HVX Silverstar
Thank you to Linden Labs, the Librarians of Second Life and Alliance Library Systems.Clips included: Logging into Second Life, home location, Jan. 2 and Jan. 7th meetings, sharing of notecards, using map to teleport to location, Metaverse Technology demo of Six Screen Video and NASA Quicktime video clips. - Librarians of Second Life: Part 1 by HVX Silverstar
This is the low resolution version of machinima created for the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) conference poster session in Baltimore, March 29-April 1, 2007, given by Abbey Zenith and Puglet Dancer, librarians/educators of Info Island.
**More Second Life Library video's can be found by searching YouTube with the keywords Second Life Library.
Part 2 - Read an article
For part 2 of this assignment read one of the following articles about Second Life. There are many articles on the web currently that either extol the virtues of Second Life or tear the world apart. The important thing to remember is that Second Life offers us an opportunity to experience library services in a virtual world. Most librarians and educators admit that Second Life is not the end-all-be-all and that something better could be just around the corner. For now Second Life gives us a chance to experience, to learn, and to grow, getting our feet wet in what could be the future of the web.
- Enjoying Your First Life? Why Not Add a Second? Developing Library Services in Second Life by Lori Bell, Tom Peters, and Kitty Pope
- Rev Up Your Avatars - Future Libraries’ Third Presence in Second Life by Stephen Abram, vice president of Innovation, SirsiDynix
- Second Life in the classroom: a whole new world by Erika D. Smith
**More articles about Second Life can be found by searching Google with keywords like Second Life and library, articles, education or learning.
Part 3 - Blog Post
Now here's what you can blog about; for thing 8 write about the video you watched and the article you read, talk about your thoughts or feelings about using virtual worlds for library services and education.
Advanced, optional exercise:
If you wish to experience Second Life you can join here, basic accounts are FREE. There are steep system requirements so check your computer before you download SL. The first place you will go after creating your account is to an orientation island where you will learn how to fly, dress, move, and communicate. Talk in your post about your experience of using Second Life for the first time.
If you are already a member of the Second Life Community, talk about your favorite spaces in SL or go and find a library or academic space and talk about your impressions. Take a picture and add it to your blog so we can all see what your favorite place is.
Now on to Thing #9 Social Bookmarking.
