A Library Patron - even in my second life

I've been exploring the Second Life Library 2.0, developed by the Alliance Library System in East Peoria, Illinois. If you haven't yet begun to live your "second life", I highly recommend it. Second Life is a three dimensional virtual world constructed and owned entirely by its users. In appearance, it is much like a game in the tradition of World of Warcraft and other massive multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs), but in contrast, residents in Second Life do not have objectives, missions, or goals to complete in order to score points or build character. Rather, you as a user are free to do, build, or explore anything you like with no points or goals to worry about.

Thanks to a donation of an island (now called Info Island) and the efforts of some savvy and clever librarians, the Alliance Library System has constructed a library complex complete with a main library and several branch libraries for medical, mystery, and science resources. Virtual reference services are available at several floating computer terminals throughout the complex. Additionally, users can attend lectures and presentations at an outdoor amphitheater where Powerpoint slides and websites can be pushed to large projection screens for visual material. While touring the main library, I also came upon a circle of plush chairs beside a sign advertising a creative writing workshop.

I'll be returning to my second life to keep an eye on further developments at the Library 2.0.

jumping on the blog bandwagon

This blog is an effort to join the larger community of library bloggers on the Web and to participate in the global information exchange pertaining to the field of library and information science. There have been a lot of exciting developments in information technology as of late, some of which already have practical application in the library community; others are just downright cool and worth knowing about. Posts on this blog will focus on some of these technologies.

We have compiled a list of blogs and blog-related sites in our initial explorations of the blogosphere. Feel free to surf through them at your leisure.