Academic Librarians in Virtual WorldsThe Virtual Librarian Conference – October 1 & 2, 2008

Robin Ashford / SL Robin MochiReference & Distance Services Librarian

George Fox UniversityPortland Center Library

Portland, OR, USA

Presentation Focus: My Role as an Academic Librarian in Second Life

• Setting up an office on a skydeck with resources to assist university community with information needs• Collaborating with faculty on information resource needs related to course content• Assisting university community with orientation needs & subject guides for new SL users• Professional development and networking

Everyone has a profile in SL and this screenshot is of mine. I chose to reveal my 1st life identity under my 1st Life tab. You will notice I am a blue male avatar in 2nd life and blue female in 1st life. If you’re curious why visit http://tinyurl.com/6gkphx Now let’s move on... Why am I in Second Life? What do virtual worlds have to do with librarianship?

Objectives for Information Literacy Instruction: A Model Statement for Academic Librarians

• Competency Standard One: The information literate student determines the extent of the information needed

Performance Indicator 2: The information literate student identifies a variety of types and formats of potential

sources for information.

1.2.c. Identifies the value and differences of potential resources in a variety of formats (e.g., multimedia, database,

website, data set, audio/visual, book) L/C = responsibility shared by librarians and the course instructor through guidance,

consultation or collaborationhttp://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/objectivesinformation.cfm

ACRL Standards & Guidelines

Virtual Worlds as Part of Research Process

Examples Immersive Educational Builds in SL

UCDavis Virtual Hallucinations Genome Island Cell Biology

OSU Testis Tour OSU Testis Tour

My Flickr Slideshows – Robin Mochi (RL Robin Ashford) teaching, learning and playing –

An academic librarian in SL

• An Academic Librarian in Second Life (used in this presentation) http://tinyurl.com/4r7829

• My Second Life Librarian Office & Skydeck

http://tinyurl.com/4xz2op• EDFL 675 - George Fox University in SL

http://tinyurl.com/4uzljz

NOTE: During my Adobe Connect online presentation I used application sharing to take attendees to the top flickr link on this slide. I will add some of those flickr photos to this PPT so viewers here can see some of what was shared and get a better idea of what the full presentation entailed. After a few of these slides I will return to the original PPT presentation.

A view of my office building on the university’s skydeck. The front office is shown here along with some of the display and informational posters I created. This building was a freebie in SL which I modified for my purposes. Most of the furnishings/objects were free or created myself though I did spend a total of approx $7 US on a few items.

A close-up side building view of my avatar standing next to a sign welcoming the GFU community. I’ll explain how I’m using some of the background items like the photoboard and informational posters in another slide.

This snapshot is of my front office. It includes a five slide PPT on the role of librarians/libraries in SL, photos of myself in SL librarian roles, scripted computers which when clicked take one to the library & university home pages, and other course specific scripted objects, including a course wiki, all created primarily to meet student/faculty needs. The green vend machine in this shot dispenses a tool called the Sloog HUD.

What is Sloog? Sloog is a tagging tool that is used inworld and out. Think Facebook meets delicious (only inworld tagging). The slide here is from a presentation for a Boise State Univ course I took this summer titled “Teaching and Learning in Second Life.” One of our projects involved a presentation on inworld tools and I chose Sloog. It has great potential for both inworld and out. I believe Sloog will become even more useful as it develops and as valuable content continues to be produced inworld. The need to identify, evaluate, link, and point students to that content will continue to increase. Librarian duties already fit this role on the 2D Web…

At the top of this slide is a screenshot of the small sloog HUD (heads up display). It’s a tool that can be “worn” on your SL screen that allows users to “tag” places using keywords. The screenshot below is of the Sloog website. This is the place where your tagged sloog places show up. In this case I used the unique tag of “EDFL675” to create a set of resources that were required for students in our course to visit in SL. I am in the process of creating inworld subject guides for various disciplines such as GFUscience, GFUreligion, etc. Librarans currently do this for the 2D web and as 3D environments also contain valuable resources we will want to make them available to students, faculty and our communities.

The view from my back office. I don’t spend much time in here but I do enjoy my Picasso painting – something I could never afford in my 1st life. It was reasonable in SL at only $75 Lindens, which is approx. 30 U.S. cents. Sometimes I see visitors from here…

This professor was out flying around when he stopped in to see what was here. He’s from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in Manhattan, USA. We had a nice chat about working with students in SL. This is an example of the types of serendipitous occurrences that take place in SL. He has recently begun using SL with his students at FIT. Made a comment before leaving – said he wished librarians from his institute were in SL assisting faculty and students

This snapshot is of the first class meeting for the group I assisted with in Second Life. The class included 6 doctoral education students and one visiting faculty. The professor for the course and I first met everyone for 4 hrs. in a face-to-face SL orientation session. This lodge is where we gathered to meet during the EDFL in-world classes. Students would work on research inworld during the week on their own timeframe and report back here during a 1-2 hr. class once per wk.

GFU students meeting in my front office after class with questions on some of the resources linked to objects and computers shown in this snapshot. The course wiki was linked to one of the round objects. Students could order books from our consortium online catalog from one of the objects here by clicking and opening the inworld browser. I also included a preset search from our Summit union catalog on virtual worlds for students interested in learning more on the topic.

By the second inworld meeting students were feeling more comfortable. During this meeting each student stood and shared their experiences/feelings thus far. Some were moving forward considerably quicker than others, mainly due to amount of time spent inworld. Most had the basics of navigation and communication by this point and some had spent time shopping for new clothes, visiting dance clubs, churches, etc.

Shopping is a good way for students to learn some basic SL skills. After our second meeting I took everyone over to a freebie store created by a Boise State Univ classmate. Students were able to obtain everything from furniture and toys to undergarments. Then they had to learn how to find, access and sometimes wear the newly obtained items from their inventory. It was a hit - more tours with next SL class.

After each class I let students know that I was willing to meet with them on the skydeck if they had any questions related to SL skills or the course assignment. Students appreciated that I was willing to help and each week we ended up back on the skydeck after class. Some just wanted to talk and others needed help with a specific task. All students were required to upload either a 1st life or 2nd life snapshot and then place it on this photoboard. When the photo is clicked it fills the entire board.

Between classes the course professor and I would sometimes meet up on the skydeck to discuss student progress based on the course wiki reflections and comments. At one point we determined our expectations were too high and made adjustments. Students needed more time to master basic SL skills and with other coursework some were struggling to find enough time.

This sign is next to my skydeck display on teaching & learning in SL. On the other side of the display is an informational poster on how to use camera controls in SL to read or see up close inworld text and objects.

I created this educational display on teaching and learning in SL with students, faculty and administrators in mind. To see each panel up close visit the flickr slideshow of this display http://tinyurl.com/3rkk8n (better yet, visit inworld!). On one side of the panel is the sign in the prior slide and on the other side is an informational poster on how to use camera controls in SL to read the panels here and other text/objects in SL.

EDFL Final Presentation 8/2008 - It was a full house and the sharing and discussion was made more interesting by inviting a scholarly group of community members to attend. We were proud of all our EDFL students. They went far in a relatively short period of time and did a good job overall.

This is where I volunteer from 7-9am SLT on Sundays. It’s the reference desk on Information Island International. Academic librarians are typically focused on their local institution user needs. By volunteering on this desk I became part of an international community of helpful, smart, cutting edge library workers from whom I continually learn. I also have the opportunity to assist SL users with information needs from around the globe, which is a most valuable learning experience.

This snapshot will help segue back to my original slides where I will discuss professional development & networking opportunities for librarians. This shot is of myself and the founder of InfoLit iSchool Island, Sheila Webber, from the UK. Sheila invited me to lead a discussion on her island related to information literacy on 5/29/08. I arrived early to meet with Sheila and help set up. This chap from Australia stopped by to chat because he wasn’t going to be able to attend at the scheduled time. These types of global connections are incredibly valuable.

Professional Development, Global Networking, Collaborative Research Opportunities

Over 40 people attended this discussion held at Montclair State University to discuss the role of librarians in SL. There are many opportunities for involvement. Discussions on various education topics, facilitated by AJ Kelton (SL AJ Brooks) from MSU, are held here weekly.

Networking / Professional Development ALA & ACRL SL Groups

The ALA Island was developed in 2007. In May 2008 Rhonda Trueman (aka Abbey Zenith) created the ACRL in SL Group. The first ACRL in SL meeting was held in June 2008, and three ACRL in SL meetings have now been held. Joining and participating in groups of this type is an excellent way for librarians to network and develop professionally. With increasingly tighter institutional budgets this kind of professional development activity just makes sense. Look to see much more of this in the future.

Global Networking / Professional Development Sheila Webber/Yoshikawa & InfoLit iSchool Island

Sheila Webber, Senior Lecturer, Director of Learning and Teaching, is a UK faculty member from Univ of Sheffield who graciously hosts regular discussions on her

island. Most in attendance are librarians and library school students. Her island is filled with valuable resources on information literacy, the research process and more.

Sheila Webber, Senior Lecturer, Director of Learning and Teaching, is a UK faculty member from Univ of Sheffield who graciously hosts regular discussions on her

island. Most in attendance are librarians and library school students. Her island is filled with valuable resources on information literacy, the research process and more.

Other Virtual Worlds (VW)• ActiveWorlds, Croquet, Qwaq, Lively, There...

3D browser/avatar versions – Exit Reality, Weblins…and many more.

• The librarian role in higher education will be similar for most VWs – We are here to support the curriculum and information needs of our academic communities. As educational environments evolve and diversify they will include f2f classrooms, online learning management systems, and teaching and learning in virtual worlds. Librarians must continue to adapt, to learn and grow along with these changes. In some ways, I would argue, we are well positioned to lead.

• “Educators and educational institutions need to understand that virtual worlds, like other social media, are here to stay and that these exciting forms of media are not a threat to formal education. The genuine conversation and participation that virtual worlds encourage is a step toward more authentic learning for all students.” - Higher Education as Virtual Conversation Sarah Robbins-Bell (“Intellagirl Tully”) http://tinyurl.com/4h8sma

• Read Educause Review Sept/Oct 2008 issue on virtual worlds & education http://tinyurl.com/6ck6s9

Virtual World Developments

Immersive Education Movement http://immersiveeducation.org/

The Croquet Consortium http://www.opencroquet.org/index.php/Main_Page

Project Wonderland https://lg3d-wonderland.dev.java.net/

50 Virtual Worlds – A Short Intro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CijdlYOSPc

References

• ALA Island in SL

http://www.ftrf.org/ala/mgrps/alaislandinsecondlife/index.cfm• Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

http://tinyurl.com/4adaxk• Information Literacy Weblog – Sheila Webber

http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/ • Adventures of Yoshikawa

http://adventuresofyoshikawa.blogspot.com/• Educause Review Sept/Oct 2008 issue on virtual worlds

http://tinyurl.com/6ck6s9• Sloog.org and Robin Mochi Sloog places http://tinyurl.com/4f934m• My blog – Librarian by Design - http://librarianbydesign.blogspot.com/