Session 5 Virtual Libraries, Real Librarians - Second Life

Presented by Kathryn Greenhill, Reference Librarian, Murdoch University.

I couldn't really get my head around implications for librarians of Second Life ( an imagined digital world where you have an avatar). I felt that it would be a third or fourth life for me and I haven't got the time. World One = personal life, World Two - work life, World Three = choral/greek dance life. It is no wonder that I only get to see Dr Who and Torchwood on tv - and even that's videoed for watching after rehearsals.

And I'm not really a gamer. Yes - I do play on-line backgammon for a couple of hours a week, but that isn't quite the same in gaming terms I suspect (PS. I do put aside a couple of hours per week to play it with a real person - and that says it all for me! )

I have two pages of notes on Second Life, but I want to get to another of my worlds, so I'll leave it up to others to describe the experience.

Or go check it out - it's free, unless you want to pay for things. Apparently over a $1.5 million US was spent last month. It's your chance to be part of an online world that is shaped by the residents' creativity. There is an InfoIsland. which has a reference desk, outreach programs etc And your avatar can be as goth as you want. So, go dance with the librarians.

http://secondlife.com/

(Is there any Greek dancing ? Just a little too Twee.)