It is easy for one to spend hours and hours exploring the unique and entertaining places that are available here in Second Life. Yet, it seems that no sooner have I explored one sim than I have another one to add to my list. The possibilities are endless. Where to start is often the question.

Libraries might be a good place to begin.
 

Welcome to the Crane Hall Library! A Chinese library in the midst of a virtual world with a focus in providing English language instruction to Chinese persons, in sharing information about Chinese culture with an international audience, and in promoting opportunities for conversational English using voice features in Second Life. 
 

The Crane Hall Library, located on the second floor of the China Café, has a variety of resources to facilitate learning and collaboration:
 

* A central meeting table

* A file cabinet with notecards of China Cafe lectures and information

* Computer monitors on the four corners with recommended Internet links

* Ongoing exhibitions with information about Chinese culture

* A bookshelf full of poems

* A bookshelf with select classic books on notecards

* Selected Chinese traditional music

* Work combining traditional and digital techniques

This library is operated by Elaine Tulip, China Cafe Librarian (in real life, Lisa Perez, Area Library Coordinator for Chicago Public Schools Department of Libraries).

One of the many exhibits that Crane Library has featured in the past month is “Land of Illusions." This exhibition is a virtual reality project on Chinese folklores and literature created by a team of artists from Boston, MA. The artists combine an interactive digital multimedia of sound, music, images, text, and video so that the viewer interacts with the environment and the artifacts.

The fundamental concept of the exhibition is described as

“a symbolic space incorporating image, motion, text and sound to reflect on eastern philosophy.  Land of Illusion enables dialogue and discussion focusing on the relationship between cultural heritage and today's society.”

Presenter: Lily Jun SL/Xiying Yang RL, Lecturer of Digital Media, Emerson College, Boston, MA

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