Virtual Libraries: Information Services in Second Life & Other MMORPGs
Creating Virtual Libraries: Information Services in Second Life and other MMORPGs
Annotated Bibliography by Danielle Cook
Blankenship, E. F., & Hollingsworth, Y. (2009). Balancing both lives: Issues facing librarians working in second life and real life worlds. New Library World, 110(9-10), 430-440. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/57736857?accountid=14925
This 2009 study by Blankenship and Hollingsworth explores the needs and concerns of librarians balancing duties between Second Life libraries and real world libraries. These librarians noted two types of challenges: material and administrative. Material challenges include inadequate hardware, poor internet connections, and school security networks that interfered with connecting to Second Life. Administrative challenges included difficulty obtaining or maintaining support from administrators, and a lack of on-the-job time for performing their virtual library duties. Because of these challenges, a large portion of librarians stated that they spent time at home performing their virtual library duties. Although the response group was small, perhaps skewing the data, the study confirms background suppositions present in many other exploratory studies. Librarians suggested increased support from supervisors and administrators and schedules and timelines concerning virtual library work could help alleviate some of the problems currently present.
Chow, A. S., Baity, C. C., Zamarripa, M., Chappell, P., Rachlin, D., & Vinson, C. (2012). The information needs of virtual users: A study of second life libraries. The Library Quarterly, 82(4), 477-510. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/1221405914?accountid=14925
Chow et al’s 2012 study compared the needs of virtual users and real-life library users of the Olathe Public Library and that library’s virtual library in Second Life. Surveys distributed to online and real-life library users and librarians aimed to determine the needs and expectations of library users and whether or not those needs and expectations were being met. The authors note that there seems to be a large gap between needs and information services in current virtual libraries. The virtual libraries have provided librarians with unexpected benefits, such as virtual contact with other librarians in educational, conference, and networking settings. Users, however, show an interest in a wide variety of services and materials from virtual libraries, though no one service or material seems to be a particularly big draw. However, the surveys from real-life patrons indicated that many patrons of the Olathe Public Library were unaware of the virtual library’s existence, perhaps indicating that an increase in community awareness could lead to an increase in use.
Clarke, C. P. (2012). Second life in the library: An empirical study of new users' experiences. Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, 46(2), 242-257. Retrieved from :http://dx.doi.org.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/10.1108/00330331211221864
Clarke studies the reactions of new users to Second Life in an attempt to explore barriers and attractors which might entice or drive away potential digital library users. While he does not study the users while interacting with an online library, knowing which platform to use and what the strengths and weaknesses of those platforms are is just as important as setting up the library itself. Clarke found that the participants enjoyed creating avatars for themselves and found the graphics and atmosphere engaging. However, the study also found that the participants had strong preconceptions about why people enter virtual worlds and what sorts of people enjoy entering virtual worlds. In addition to that, it takes a great deal of time to build social connections, and sandbox games like Second Life can leave new players unsure of what to do. While these pros and cons may give future researchers and virtual library developers a few hints as to what challenges they may face, the study had a very small sample size, and therefore is not particularly generalizable.
Grassian, E., & Trueman, R. B. (2007). Stumbling, bumbling, teleporting and flying ... librarian avatars in second life. Reference Services Review, 35(1), 84-89. Retrieved from :http://dx.doi.org.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/10.1108/00907320710729373
While limited in scope and generalizability because of the Q&A format of the paper and lack of objective research, Grassian and Trueman offer a perspective on librarians in virtual worlds from the trenches. Although benefits like collaboration, creativity, and learning through Second Life have not materialized as vividly as Grassian and Trueman may have hoped ten years ago, their commentary on the benefits and challenges of Second Life librarianship is relevant to librarians in all online environments. The authors explore why libraries should exist in virtual environments, how global communities and personal connections lead to collaboration and a broader array of opportunities, and why both public and academic libraries should have interest in entering virtual worlds.
Hedreen, R. C., Johnson, J. L., Lundy, M. A., Burnette, P., Perryman, C., Van, D. B., . . . Czarnecki, K. (2008). Exploring virtual librarianship: Second life library 2.0. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 13(2-3), 167-195. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/57700870?accountid=14925
This study reinforces the experimental nature of many of the libraries that exist in Second Life. While the library and its staff does provide “traditional” library services like access to books and reference librarians, it is still unknown whether these are the services desired by virtual communities. While many of the services most used by Second Life “residents” relate to the game itself (reference questions like “how do I move/go places/interact?”), the library has also been used to teach classes used for college credit. In addition, virtual stacks allow patrons to browse library holdings and access full-text documents by interacting with individual books. Special libraries also exist and allow patrons to interact with 3-D replicas of cells, plants, and other educational material. These services are highly exploratory, but allow librarians to interact with patrons in new and exciting ways.
Hill, V., & Lee, H. (2009). Libraries and immersive learning environments unite in second life. Library Hi Tech, 27(3), 338-356. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/57738572?accountid=14925
In this study, Hill and Lee explore the impact of immersive learning possibilities in virtual worlds. The paper includes many detailed discussions of events and items that the authors interacted with in Second Life. The authors note that while others criticize the trend, warning that it may not become as useful or beneficial as expected, even if these Second Life libraries fail, there are many opportunities for creating virtual libraries and the entire future in which to do so. In addition, virtual libraries allow librarians to collaborate in new ways, broadening the skills and ideas present in the profession. Further research is needed on the opportunities for education in immersive learning environments. The topics covered in the study require more research, but the paper gives a good overview of the novel ways in which librarians and other information professions are using Second Life to instruct, engage, and communicate.
Hill, V., & Meister, M. (2013). Virtual worlds and libraries: Gridhopping to new worlds. College & Research Libraries News, 74(1), 43-47. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/1323208776?accountid=14925
While most research into virtual libraries (including most of the items in this bibliography) involve Second Life, there are other virtual worlds out there that are being used for education and virtual library building. This 2013 paper by Hill and Meister discusses some of those worlds, offer alternative for librarians and educators who may be interested in virtual worlds but turned off by Second Life’s discontinuation of their land discounts for educational institutions. The paper includes virtual worlds such as Inworldz, Jokadia, and Kitely, as well as information about special features for each world. For however popular Second Life may be, the authors point out that there are many options and that libraries should consider the pros and cons for each virtual world before making a decision.
Ostrander, M. C. (2008). Talking, looking, flying, searching: Information seeking behavior in second life. Library Hi Tech, 26(4), 512-524. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/57734095?accountid=14925
In this paper, Ostrander attempted to answer how Second Life users searched for information. Ostrander used semi-structured interviews and participant observation to gather data, and framed the research in ethnography and grounded theory. The results indicate that Second Life players primarily seek information through social interaction, and secondarily though visual information sources. This reflects the highly social, visual aspect of Second Life, which may provide librarians with additional tools to help virtual library patrons find information. Though the sample size was small, the results are still useful to librarians seeking to understand virtual library user behaviors. In addition, virtual libraries in Second Life see very low rates of use as compared to real-life libraries. Still, Ostrander points out that information in Second Life is “more accessible” than in real life, that the information is free, and that virtual worlds often function as social equalizers.
Sidorko, P. E. (2009). Virtually there, almost: Educational and informational possibilities in virtual worlds. Library Management, 30(6-7), 404-418. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/57658353?accountid=14925
Sikorko explores the opportunities afforded educators and libraries in Second Life. He notes that not only are educators entering Second Life, but that Linden Labs (the developer) actively advertises and cooperates with educational institutions in furthering educational opportunities within Second Life. Because of the simulated nature of the program, learners are able to practice skills without fear of harm (Sikorko cites medical students as a prime example), and the fact that Second Life is accessible from anywhere a learner can get internet makes it a prime solution for distance education. In addition, its social focus enables role-playing and collaboration, both of which are important for learning. For LIS students, Second Life could serve as a training ground, where students still in school can help staff reference desks, answer questions, and develop skills. However, Sidorko notes that education in Second life is not without challenges, stating that appropriate hardware and user skills are needed in order to properly render the world visually and be able to interact with it, and that sexual harassment is a known issue that needs to be combatted head-on.
Swanson, K. (2007). Second life: A science library presence in virtual reality. Science & Technology Libraries, 27(3), 79-86. Retrieved from :http://dx.doi.org.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/10.1300/J122v27n03_06
Swanson explores the place of science and libraries in Second Life. The author points out that Second Life offers unique opportunities for visualization of scientific aspects like cellular biology and ecosystem simulations that may allow learners to more deeply explore and understand concepts that may fall flat on a textbook page. Other things, like virtual-physical representations of “information nodes” that can physically be manipulated may offer new ways to store and interact with information. Swanson also offers a series of questions that may open librarians to new ways of offering, organizing, and interacting with information in virtual worlds.
