Do we remove all the walls? Second life librarianship

Abstract

More than five hundred librarians have been experimenting with providing library services within Second Life, a Multi User Virtual Environment (MUVE) with over thirty thousand users online at any time. This paper outlines the advantages for librarians of experimenting in Second Life and the technical and managerial decisions librarians should make when considering setting up a library presence in a MUVE. There is an account of the evolution of the Australian Libraries Building within Second Life and a description of some of the scripted library objects created there. The conclusion describes how Second Life librarianship has evolved as librarians become more familiar with the interface. © 2008 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.