McMaster Libraries offer research services on Second Life
by Anne Plessl and Krista Godfrey
April 30, 2007
McMaster University Libraries are launching a pilot project to offer research help at its virtual site on Second Life, the increasingly popular 3-D virtual world created by its nearly six million residents.
Avatars Danu Dahlstrom, Amanda Matzerath, Devi Daviau, Isobella Sands, Gudrun Bertolucci and Ataro Santos (real-life librarians Krista Godfrey, Amanda Etches-Johnson and Nora Gaskin, and staff members Rhonda Moore, Renu Barrett and Derek Bragg) will be available for help on SL from May 1 to July 31 (Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. EST). McMaster's SL Library is on Cybrary City near InfoIsland.
Librarian Krista Godfrey acquired McMaster's Library building, which will be used for library services and digital exhibitions. The space is presently furnished with computers that link to library resources including the Library's catalogue (MORRIS) and databases, the Mills Learning Commons site and its partners (UTS, CSD and CLL), individual pages for the various campus libraries, and the Isaac Newton interactive learning site.
The SL Library also features a Help Desk with real help available in person (sort of) if an avatar is online, or "virtually" (through IM or e-mail), and there is a lounge area for avatars needing a rest between their literal flights of fancy. The space is also available for virtual meetings.
InfoIsland is run by the Alliance Library Sytem, a multitype library system in East Peoria, Illinois, but has volunteers from all over the world. There are now approximately 10 islands in the InfoIsland system.
Cybrary City, home to McMaster's library space, is sponsored by Talis, a provider of library and information management software to public and academic libraries, and is designed to allow libraries and librarians the opportunity to explore service models for a virtual world and provide a space for participating libraries to showcase their local resources. McMaster's Library has been given free space for one year in return for volunteer help with InfoIsland programs.
The Library isn't the only McMaster presence in Second Life. The Faculty of Engineering recently launched its Café Fireball on InfoIsland II to provide a place for avatars to chat about engineering topics and get information about McMaster's engineering programs.
For more information, please contact Krista Godfrey, McMaster University Library SLURL.
