The origin story is so very familiar. The outcome has been so very phenomenal.
About three years ago, a library professional read an article and became curious. She opened a Second Life account and became Lorelei Junot. She explored, wondered if there might be interest in libraries in this rapidly expanding virtual world “But there was great interest,” Junot said. That could be considered an understatement.
In April 2006 the Alliance Library System rented a little building to use as a library. Now, AVL (Alliance Virtual Library) has grown to include 54 islands in its archipelago, self-professed librarians in-world exceed 500.
Junot (Lori Bell in real life) is the Director of Innovation for the Alliance Library System. Alliance began as the merger of four library systems in Illinois and provides core services to more than 250 member libraries of all types. As Director of Innovation, Junot was in a position to explore the Second Life potential for libraries. She was quickly joined by Kitty Pope (Kitty Phillip, ALS executive director) and Puglet Dancer (Barbara Galik, executive director of the library at Bradley University and president of the Alliance Board of Directors.
Junot and her colleagues quickly learned this virtual world packs a powerful allure for librarians, educators and information professionals of all types. Growth is continuing. A few months ago Junot razzed a bench on an AVL island for a discussion of where the project has come from and where it is going. Junot acknowledges the benefit of having the support of her administrator, Kitty Pope. “Without her support we would not be where we are today,” she said. “Kitty Pope has a career full of innovation and exciting projects. “At the beginning we had traditional buildings, and I did not have anything in mind because SL was totally new to me. So, from then till now, it has been the visions of al the people involved.”
Junot said she’s found most organizations stick to a familiar, traditional template when starting new projects in SL. “Once they learn SL, they see the possibilities and try different things – no need of ceilings or walls, or stairs or doors.” Junot and Alliance have tried to encourage a sense of exploration and experimentation, even if it sometimes results in a jarring conglomeration of different builds on a single island. “It is important to let educators and librarians experiment and see what works best for them. You can see a whole variety here. Experimentation is an important component.”
Initially Alliance gave newcomers the option of a prefab building, but many soon took advantage of the opportunity to try our their own ideas. Junot is ready for an answer when she gets that familiar question, “Why more than one library? Wouldn’t one be enough? “I think Second Life and virtual worlds are the third place libraries need to think about being, bricks and mortar being the first and the website being the second. I think there is a need here for a collaborative presence because no one library, no matter what type, can provide 24/7 coverage for just their patrons. So the collaboration in any virtual world library project is key and necessary. That way a library can offer many more services, events and expertise than any one library could on its own.”
Junot also believes in the “local presence” of libraries, however small. “Because the library can promote its collection, provide programs for its specific clientele that then fit into the large group. Libraries need a local presence to draw their people in, where thy can promote their digital collections, provide the services their people want and give their patrons a local place to feel comfortable.”
Virtual worlds are new ideas, and Junot acknowledges the ultimate form and role of libraries is a work in progress. “It’s very much a frontier right now. We are all trying to find out how to make this work. I am sure that even in a year there will be services that we cannot even imagine right now. I also think that Teen Second Life and a world for kids like Whyville may be even more important to public libraries than Second Life.”
In recent months Allliance has turned a part of its focus toward establishing a library presence in Whyville, a virtual world designed for 8 to 15-year-olds. “We are trying to reach out to youth, “Junot said. “Gartner Research Group predicts that by 2011, 80 percent of internet users will be involved in virtual worlds. Users of virtual worlds are growing in all age groups, but especially kids and young adults. I think it is important to get a library presence in Whyville.” Junot said Whyville is actually the oldest virtual world, having been started in 1999, and it has many educational partners – fertile territory for library developments. “I think it is important to get a library presence in Whyville so that kids see the library in the virtual world. Most of the programs and events we have in Second Life promote reading, authors and literature. People learn about these and then go to their real library to get the books and materials we do not have here. So even though we are in the virtual world, most of what we do drives people back to their home library.”
As for the future, Junot remains optimistic. “There are over 50, probably more libraries with a presence here in SL now. Not very many of them are public, but that is increasing. I think more libraries will get involved. I hope more libraries will see the value of virtual world presence and join us in finding out what that role is. I hope libraries realize that no one expects them to have a huge presence in here or try to staff 24/7 on tight budgets. They can get a presence and work with others, and through collaboration offer a whole new set of services for users who might or might not come into the library. We are at the beginning and this is their chance to shape this. There is room for everyone with an idea to join us and try it.”
Junot acknowledges the high SL learning curve. “There are many challenges. Some of them are just part of anything new,” she said. “It takes a lot of time to learn, to try to keep up and to develop anything. Everything has developed here amazingly quickly. However, you always think of what more could be developed. One more thing I think is exciting for public libraries is getting involved in immersive learning environments like Land of Lincoln. Who better than librarians to work with residents, educators and students, to do the research and develop areas like the Land of Lincoln in the main and teen grid? Librarians can serve as guides for their teens or adults who wish to create and experience that period. It is fun, and it makes learning more fun. Renaissance Island is another example of that.”
Junot has high praise or those who have committed themselves to working on the various projects. “I think everyone working on this is doing a great job. They are so generous with their time, talents and expertise. I have never seen a project with so many volunteers who are so giving. I am not quite sure what it is about SL that brings that out in people. No creation here is the total vision of one person, each creation is made up of the ideas, vision and creation of a group. Anything one person envisions may be wonderful, but you add the collective and it is more wonderful than anyone could have imagined!”
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