I read the informative article by Lori Bell, Tom Peters & Kitty Pope,
Enjoying Your First Life? Why Not Add a Second? Developing Library Services in Second Life.
Not a gamer myself I have never been drawn to the virtual world of interaction. I prefer my explorations to be in the real world.
Having said that I can see how creating virtual tours, poster sessions, art exhibits etc. could bring another dimension to promoting reading and library use. The article gave interesting examples of this, including a history gallery garden with links to a digital project, a SkyPod hosting a science fiction island, and others.
The video from You Tube, Librarians of Second Life Part One, left me puzzled. I can't really see the benefit of making a virtual library place or virtual library meeting where my hair changes colors every 10 seconds, or I change into a koala bear. I'm sure this is great fun for a cocktail party, so if my bosses want to pay me to interact with my peers while I'm a tigeress in a boat, well, OK, I'll play.
In the interim it made me think:
Sadly with real travel beset with delays, security checks and rising costs, virtual worlds may be the only way some folks will get a chance to visit the Globe Theater, or the Louvre, or the jungles of Costa Rica. If the reason behind zoos weren't bad enough....we find ourselves glued to the computers on our evenings and days off, role playing. I spend too many hours in front of a computer as it is. I prefer sunsets, birdsong, and moonsets on the ocean to be the real deal.
