On Getting a Second Life Library

By Teresa Koltzenburg |


In mid-April, Tap Information's Tom Peters (who is also the OPAL Coordinator and a contributing author to this blog as well as to Smart Libraries Newsletter) posted a piece about the Alliance Second Life Library 2.0.

In the June issue of SLN, Tom contributes an update on the Second Life Library, reporting, "The process of creating the Second Life Library 2.0 (SSL2) in the Second Life virtual-reality environment has been very interesting to date. Basically, a group of avatars controlled by self-selecting volunteer librarians has been working to create and launch the new library. The Alliance Library System, headquartered in East Peoria, Illinois, is the real-world library organization providing the impetus and overall management of the project."

If you'd like to see what this Second Life Library is all about, later today, the Alliance Library System and OPAL will be providing an introduction in the OPAL Auditorium. According to the announcement posted on the Web4Lib and LITA-L electronic lists earlier his month, "Speakers will include Greg Schwartz, Tom Peters, Lori Bell, Kelly Czarnecki, Jami Lynn Schwarzwalder, and other librarians involved in the project. They will explain what they are doing, show you what is happening, and answer questions about the project....The goal of the [SSL2] is to promote the real library and online library services to adults who might not otherwise use the library."

Not quite sure what Second Life is? Well, the e-list announcements provided a brief description, noting, "Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by nearly 200,000 people from around the globe....The group is also working on a library for the Teen Second Life Library to open in the fall."

If you haven't used the nifty (and superEASY and free) OPAL portal/Web-based software (which requires absolutely no registration), no worries. All you need to participate is a computer with an Internet connection, sound card, and speakers.

Happy avatar making!

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